Mind Candy
by NBGirl
Summary: A strange drug makes users think they’re X5s. An imposter at Fogle Towers, and confusion at the cabin.
1. Mind Candy

The subject of this story, Herbal Gummies, is a recurring theme that developed on the message board at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1] .Herbal Gummies are a gummie candy with mildly intoxicating/euphoric effects, normally safe, non-addictive, and legal.

** **

**MIND CANDY**

**Point of view: LOGAN**************************************************

I got a tip. A large shipment of Herbal Gummies had been contaminated with a strong, and sometimes lethal, hallucinogenic agent. Called MantiCorny, it convinces the user that they are a genetically enhanced super human. 

This is dangerous, very dangerous. Especially to those real X-5 escapees, whose futures depend on secrecy. Tactical exposure in the extreme. 

There have been numerous reports of wild melees in the streets, people beating at each other with pipes and chains but swearing that they were laser cannons and tasers. Screaming "Lydecker" and "Brinn" and other names that should be mentioned as little as possible. The cops, not to mention the media, haven't figured out a link yet. But it's only a matter of time. 

MantiCorny is not only addictive, but once it takes hold on the system, the effects are incurable. The only hope is to eliminate it at the source, and to mercifully eradicate those already contaminated with the drug. 

I've had some luck tracking down a real Manticore. I'm not ready to let Max know about it yet, I don't want to get her hopes up. Plus the situation, as it stands now, is too risky. I'm going to have to think about this for a while. 

**Point of view: TINGA**************************************************

I exit the plane into chaos. People are running amok in the streets. Normal people, so the danger is somewhat limited. Still, I might trip and break a nail or something. And I wouldn't enjoy that very much. 

Someone takes a mad, lunging dash at me, screaming about Lydecker. Lydecker. There's a name I haven't heard in a while. I grab the person in mid-run by the throat, haul him kicking and screaming into an alley, and slam him up against a wall. 

"What do you know about Lydecker?" I ask in a low growl. The poor helpless sap makes an ineffective swipe at me. I land a good one upside the head, being careful of my nails. I get a babbling story out of the guy, nothing that makes any sense. I smack him around a bit more. "Listen. You have never heard that name. You have never heard of genetically engineered killing machines. You are a normal person living a normal life. And if you don't go back to that life..." 

I snap his collarbone. Painful, somewhat limiting, but overall, not a horrible injury. 

Not to hear him scream. He's carrying on as if his life was ending. 

"Oh shut up," I warn him. He instantly complies. "THAT'S what you'll face if you keep up this farce. Now git." 

He scampers off, whimpering. 

I dust off my hands, looking around. Maybe I don't want to stick in Seattle long. Maybe I should hit the road now. I start moving resolutely towards the Northern highway out of here when an Aztek, so dirty its blue coloring is nearly indistinct, pulls up.... 

**Point of view: BLING**************************************************

  
Logan sent me to find this girl Tinga.She's one of Max's sisters. 

OH GEEZE!!!! I hit a kid who just jumped in front of my car!!!!Oh GOD! Oh God!!! He just stepped right out in front of me. I was only going about 5 to 10 miles per hour... 

Ohkay! Calm down... 

I get out to see if he's alright. 

"Hey are You okay?!?!?" 

His leg is broken... Tears are streaming down his face. 

"I'm Dave Omega!!!" He screams at me!!! 

He start throwing a tantrum and screaming "Earthquake! Earthquake!" 

Another victim of the Gummies. His leg is just taking more trauma!!! 

"Kid, calm down...." 

He swings at me...."Omega Virus! Kill you all!!!" 

I hate doing this to a delusional kid... but it's for is own good. 

I punch him dead in the face. He's out like a cheap light bulb. 

I'm trying to pull him off the side when a olive skinned woman with a good manicure grabs him by the scruff of the neck and to tosses him between 11 year olds going "My T-shirt says girls kick a$s." "No My T-shirt says girls kick a$s." 

They all fall on the ground. 

The girl looks and me and says, "Tall black Mr. Clean, Dirty Blue Aztec, you must be Bling." 

I smile. We should get going. 

**Point of view: TINGA**************************************************

I'd been surprised to get the phone call on the plane. I didn't know you could dial into those phones from the ground, let alone find a passenger with any accuracy. The craziness around me had convinced me to bail on this city and leave that mystery for Robert Stack, but this guy looks sane. And I AM curious. 

The three kids are fully into a slap fight now, hands hitting hands, arms flailing uselessly. I sigh and extend a hand. "Shall we leave this insanity?" I ask. 

He smiles. It's a great smile. And gallantly takes my hand, leads me into the Aztec. Inside, I notice that there are extra controls on the steering column. Interesting. This car is designed for a paraplegic to drive. This "Logan Cale" who called me has even more interesting things up his sleeve. 

We make it back to the apartment without incident. Apartment, smartment. Penthouse is more like it. It is most definitely to my taste. Anything money is to my taste, for the most part. I look around appreciably. The computer setup alone is first rate. 

Bling is watching me, amusement dancing lightly behind his eyes. Amusement and a shrewd calculating look. He's got more to him than he appears. I make a note to try to remember not to write him off. 

Logan appears, wheeling in. He seems to be looking for any sign of surprise at the wheelchair. I hope I've gone up a notch in his estimation when I patently don't react. Besides, I'm too busy looking at //him//. VERY pretty. I look back to Bling, and a slow smile starts to spread across my face. Well, at the least, this is easy on the eyes. 

"Hi, Tinga," Logan says. "I'm Logan." 

**Point of view: LOGAN**************************************************

Tinga didn't react to the chair. Not that she surprised me, she was probably trained to keep her reactions to herself. Firm handshake, also not a surprise, although the nails were. 

She doesn't look like Max. I don't know why I expected her to, but in a way I did. Bling seems to like her, from the way he's looking at her. Or at least he's figured out something more about her than he's letting on. Hopefully he'll let me in on it later. 

"I trust your flight was OK?" I ask. 

"Fine. The phone call was a surprise, but other than that, fine. I'm not sure about this city, though." 

"Well, we'll work on that later. For now, why don't you get settled for the moment? You can decide later if you want to stay here, or elsewhere." 

I show her to a guestroom and leave her, returning to the living room and Bling. Bling fills me in a bit on the insanity outside. Seems like he even had to take out some kid. Not only are the kids going crazy, they know way too much about Manticore. Things they shouldn't know. So whomever is contaminating the gummies has assistance, feeding information to at least a percentage of the users. This is turning into a bigger situation than we could have imagined. 

I'm not sure what to do about Max. Tinga's an unknown quantity, and I don't want Max meeting her until she's up on the situation. At the same time, the city is going wild and Max would be safest here. 

I've been unable to reach Max, anyway. Kendra had some guy over for the weekend, and Max took off on an extended ride on the Ninja. Hate the way she messes with the Sector police when she does that. 

One way or another, I have to talk to her. Bling goes to make sure the bugs planted in Tinga's room are working, and I page Max one more time. 

**Point of view: MAX**************************************************

I'm enjoying terrorizing the sector police on my Ninja when my pager beeps, and of course it's Logan. I look for a payphone, which are incredibly hard to find in this city. Finding one, I dial his number and call. 

"You really know how to ruin a girl's fun. The sector nazis were just learning how to play along," I say as soon as he answers. 

"Max, I need to talk to you," he says, his voice all serious. There's something in his voice, like he's got something to tell me, but doesn't know how to say it. Well, if its about the Herbal Gummies, I've already heard about that. It's hard to ignore screaming people in the streets when you're a bike messenger. 

"Oh, is this about the decoder ring?" I tease, "Cause I could really use one." 

"No, but it is important. Can you get over here?" 

"Sure, no big dealio." I hang up and swing my bike around in the direction of Logan's, wondering what he's up to. 

**Point of view: TINGA**************************************************

The offer of a place to stay is nice, and unexpected. I walk into the guest room and look around. 

The bugs are pretty easy to spot. Audio only though, no video. Nice that he's cautious and not a perv. 

I hope. 

Oh well, I'm sure I can work around it. Or through it, if the case may be. And I think of two towns back, and the way I had to exit my stay there. 

I undo my travel backpack and start pulling out a few things. As long as I'm here as guest, I might as well make myself at home. This room even has its own private bath. Now I know I'm in heaven. 

I wash off the dirt from the plane and the fight, luxuriating in the hot shower. I love hot showers, the hotter the better. The shampoos and other essentials are top notch. Getting out, I choose a slightly snazzier outfit to put on, reapply the makeup and survey the results. Devastating. Although I do believe that the nail on my index finger is chipping. And I just got this paint job. 

My mood slightly marred, I decided I've given the boys enough space, and reenter the room. 

Logan is in an intense discussion with a dark haired girl. From the way he's looking at her, despite the businesslike tone, I might as well write off trying to play him. The girl has her hooks in him, big time. Oh well. There's still the other handsome guy. I paste an innocuous smile on my face and move languidly into the room. 

"Hope I'm not interrupting," I purr. 

They look over. I see the girl's face for the first time, and something about it bugs me. It's like I should know her. She stands in a blur and I tense. This girl is a Threat with a capital T, one like I've not seen in a long time. 

We face each other, staring long and hard into each other's eyes. 

**Point of view: LOGAN**************************************************

I have only enough time to brief Max on the Herbal Gummy situation before Tinga walks back into the room. Damn. I was hoping for another few minutes. 

Max jumps up and the two face off, bristling like two cats. Instant animosity. Max has been known to have a chip on her shoulder, but not like this. 

"Max, this is--" 

"Terry," Tinga cuts me off. 

That throws me. No way I'm not telling Max who this is. But if she wants to play it that way, fine. I'll update Max later. 

"Terry. Right. She might have some information on the Manticorny contamination." 

Max isn't buying it. She knows something is up, but she doesn't know what. She looks like she could happily claw the makeup from Tinga's face, and take the skin with it. Tinga looks like she'd love to return the favor. 

Bling steps forward, but just then Max's pager beeps. 

**Point of view: NORMAL** ************************************************

Hi, Max this is Normal. Do you happen to remember me? Oh! you do. Then may I ask why you aren't at work? Wait. Don't bother. You'll just have an excuse or something. I'm giving you a half an hour to get your caboose back here. 

Hold On. 

You! Are you here to work or eat? Then take this! go! Are we made of money? Who's turn is it to shut off the TV? 

Max?, Max?...get back here now! Bye. 

**Point of view: MAX**************************************************

I'm eyeing this Terry girl Logan's got at his place when Normal pages me. He's in one of his ironic moods. Before I can explain, he gives me half an hour to get back to work. 

What I wouldn't give to not have to work for that man. But then again, I can't start living off of Logan's charity. I'm an independent girl. 

"I gotta bounce. Try and behave yourself," I say to Logan, but I'm looking at Terry. What is that chick's dealio? She seems familiar in some way, but I'm not so sure that that is a good thing. 

Sending her an ice glare, I shoulder my pack and head for the door. 

"Bye Max," Logan calls after me. Terry smirks. 

Outside, I jump on my bike and head for Jam Pony. 

**Point of view: NORMAL** ************************************************

"Some people work in offices, some people have employees that listen to them and I get none of the above. This heat is killing me..." I thought wiping the dirty counter. 

"Sketchy! get up there and see what you can do about the air-conditioning. I don't care if it's safe for you. You work here right?" wondering if he did or was just here to watch TV. 

"Always someone with some lip around here. Oh! look the princess of lips herself. You took your sweet time getting here Max! Your five seconds late!" yelling at her as she walked casually down the ramp with her bike. 

"If you keep looking at me like that you better be thinking marriage." I glared at her as another idiot was kicking the soda machine again. 

"I'm gonna dock your paycheck for each scratch!" I screamed at the rider who seemed bent on turning the machine inside out for his soda. 

"Yeah!? what is it? ...you got the wrong package. Do you know who delivered your package?...This is Jam Pony! not Lickety's delivery service! I told the caller as I turned back towards Max. 

"Max! I want you to take this package to North Beach . On 85th and 28th Ave and please no touring of the Golden Gardens. I know it's summer and all you weed sniffers need your high but please do it on your own time." I told her. 

**Point of view: LOGAN**************************************************

Max took off without a backward glance. Well, a backward glance at Tinga, and an unpleasant one at that. But not a look at me. Somehow I'm going to have to get hold of her before she and...Terry meet up again. 

Speaking of which, "Terry?" I ask Tinga. 

"Just maintaining my privacy here," she replies. You know my name, no one else needs to. Except you, big guy." 

Is she flirting with Bling, of all people? And I forgot that she doesn't know who Max is, either. Somehow I'd thought that they'd recognize each other. But they didn't, and maybe that's better. If I can get hold of Max, I'll tell her about Tinga. And tell her to keep her own identity to herself. 

Tinga walks over to the TV and flips it on. The evening news is covering the latest riot. Kids, and adults too now, playing some bizarre form of cops and robbers. Trying to jump over walls, flip opponents over their heads, outrun vehicles and bullets. Bullets? Damn, the cops are involved now. Through the screaming I can hear faint cries of Lydecker, Brinn, and other names that I don't recognize. 

Let's hope the cops don't recognize any of them. This hasn't been linked to Manticore yet, and if it is we're all in trouble. 

Tinga makes herself comfortable, still keeping one eye on Bling. 

**Point of view: JONDIE** ************************************************

"Same to you buddy" I yell as some guy comments on my inability to get out of his way. I feel a fire in my belly....sometimes I swear they put Irish genes in me....just to see how much anger could enhance my performance.   
It's cold here....but then I am in the North, it's always cold. I've grown accustomed to trudging through the streets lined with snow, however, today I wasn't in the mood to lose feeling from my toes to my hips. I sighed...Work had been a killer today, when I say work I mean the second of my two jobs...I'm a manicurist by day, and a waitress by night. Honestly I despise both occupations...let's just say I'm still finding my niche. I must admit, there have been times I wanted to throw away my apron and nail file and become the latest Mrs. Sanitation. I could see myself now, perched upon the trash truck, smiling and waving at wide eyed people while my "coachmen" emptied trashcans below my feet. Such glamour, such fame...I chuckle to myself at the thought.   
It is then that I stop my wandering mind to cross the street and enter my humble abode. Carefully I enter the room and smile at the familiar smells...my perfume, my dinner, and yes...rising just above it all is the scent of my significant other. I smile at the little furball on the couch...he jumps up and scurries to my feet...who needs a man when you've got a dog. I sigh in relief and flop myself onto the couch with my trusty can of Sprite...heaven knows how the Coca Cola company managed to stay in business. It is then that my nightly TV show is interrupted by a newsflash from those darn hoverdrones. I curse silently at the thought of missing the scene where she, our ever popular heroine, kisses her love goodbye, as she is about to cross the border to Canada and never return.   
As I lower the can from my lips my eyes widen at the scene. Hundreds of people, swarming around....fighting each other. But that isn't really what scares me, no the part that really gets me are the names erupting from their mouths..."Max...Lydecker...Jondie"...Oh no. 

**Point of view: MAX**************************************************

I take the package from Normal, choosing to ignore the weed smoking comment. I hope he appreciates that. 

Biking through the mob of MantiCorny addicts, I severely reassess my vow not to harm the innocent. Not that these people aren't asking for it. 

The thing is, I'm scared. I won't admit it to Logan, but I am. These people know enough to know the names of all involved in Manticore, but not enough to keep their mouths shut. 

"Hey! Watch it!" I yell as a guy not much older than myself almost knocks me off my bike with the skateboard he's wielding, "A girl's tryin to make a living here!" 

All these hyped-up peeps can't help it, they've been drugged unwittingly. They don't know it's my life that they're screaming about in the streets. 

I reach my destination and knock on the door. A girl about my age answers. 

"Yes?" she asks. 

"Jam Pony bike messenger. Package for a Jana Peters," I say. 

**Point of view: BLING**************************************************

Logan filled me in on the details of Tinga... er Terry? 

I never really thought about how different all the Manticore would be. I always thought Max was little insecure and covering a sweet side... like that cat the rubs up against your leg, then runs away when you go to pet it. 

Terry... She more like that cat that hides behind the couch and claws your legs as you walk by. 

I'm not quite sure how I feel about being eyed like a can of Tuna. 

I catch a weird look from Logan. 

I have to smile... He's never seen a women interested in me. I guess I have kept things pretty business only, or should I make that Eyes Only, since I took over as his 'left hand' man. I think I have to start getting my boy to do some physical therapy IN THE PARK! Get out into that world we're trying to save. 

As for the kitty stretched out on the couch... let's show the Logan how it's done. 

"Nice outfit. Can I get you anything? From the kitchen." 

Smile big now.

**************************************************************************

Author's Note:

This story started as an RPG (role playing game) played between a number of fan fiction writers at a Dark Angel message board, [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1] .As the story developed, additional characters and players were added.When we realized that we had non-players reading it as well, we decided to clean it up and present it as a fan fiction. 

Each character is written by a different writer, in a first-person point of view.The character's name is listed before each section.Information on all of the writers can be found on my author's page.

This game/story is still in progress, so please read and review. Let us know where you want it to go.And we are always looking for new writers to play along, so please visit us at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1] and read the rules and casting notices in the RPG folder.

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start



	2. Terry

# Point of view: LOGAN***************************************

What is Bling up to? I can't figure out if he's seriously interested in this woman, or just trying to prove a point. I don't know. Anyway, as long as he keeps her busy and out of trouble, I'm not going to complain. That was the point of inviting her to stay here, in any case. Keeping her where I can see her. 

I leave them to their little game and return to the computer room, locking the door behind me. Anything sensitive, and everything to do with Eyes Only, is safely out of reach for the duration. But still, I don't want this Tinga near my hard drive. She's an unknown quantity. She could pick the lock in an instant, but at least she won't be reading over my shoulder. Can't forget she has Max's cat's eyes. 

Max...is pissed. That much was obvious when she walked out. Can't imagine why, unless she's jealous. 

I have to grin. Now wouldn't that be nice. 

I try, somewhat successfully, to get Max out of my head and focus on my research. I'm trying to retrace the route that the contaminated Herbal Gummies followed to get to Seattle. They're produced in a small town in Vermont, and shipped all over the US. I don't know if the particular shipment spiced with Manticorny was a choice or an accident—there have been no reports of problems elsewhere. And it's hard enough getting Gummies into Seattle, the sector police needing quite a payoff to let such a grey-market item into the city. It had to be deliberate. 

And how, how did the users start finding out about Manticore? It's like the Gummy packs came with Manticore trading cards. There's got to be someone on both ends, production and distribution. 

I'm getting nowhere fast. I'm afraid we're going to have to start at the end and work backwards. Which means getting our hands on some of the addicts. 

This should be interesting. 

**Point of view: DET. SUNG*****************************************

  
A lot of the others have been pulling double shifts, thanks to this new drug in town. Word had it this was some kind of PCP derivative- suspects going haywire, ligaments while trying to break out of handcuffs, taking the fast way down off rooftops. Calling each other strange names and obviously hallucinating. It started slowly, then erupted.   
  
Just a few of us know about the Herbal Gummies- the common link in all of this. Something's definitely up- something big- and the only clues I have to go on are three names that come up most often- Logan, Max and Lydecker. When I first heard one of them babbling Logan's name, I gave him a call. But I haven't had time to follow up.   
  
I haven't had time to do much of anything. I've hardly been home the past week or so. Everyone, including the detective division, has been issued body armor and told to hit the streets. I spend all day running arrest teams up and down the blocks, pulling in young kids in the throes of some out-there delusions. Like the kid with the broken leg... he kept screaming something about "Omega." I've never seen eyes like that- about to pop out of their sockets...   
  
It might be worth the risk calling Logan again, to find out if he knows anything more. I help load the Omega kid into an ambulance (a pair of uniformed cops will have to ride along; that's two less on or side for now) and find an out-of-the-way place, make sure I'm alone, and dial... 

** **

**Point of view: LOGAN*****************************************

The phone rings. It's Matt Sung. 

"Logan, things are getting worse out here. We've been picking up kids all day, but it just won't stop." 

I ask him what, exactly, the kids are saying. The answer isn't good. Omega, O'Ryan, Lexx, Nic, those I can deal with. They've never come up in Manticore files, they've got to be pure hallucinations. But Jondie, Tinga, Brinn, Zack, Lydecker, things are getting closer. Seems like the victims are sure they know these people. Hell, they're sure they're seeing these people right in front of them. 

Sung clears his throat. "The bad news is that there's a lot of Max and Logan going around out there too. Including some girl who's convinced she IS Max. We had her for a minute, but she escaped. Haven't seen her since, but this isn't exactly a curable condition." 

Damn. This is bad. When he originally called me on the "Logan," some kid was babbling, I'd hoped he was mistaken. 

So now it's not just Manticore. It's Manticore and me, and Max. And Max is out on the streets. 

**Point of view: NORMAL*****************************************

Grasping the top of the counter table as riders rush past.   
  
Oh...oh....I feel kinda funny. What was in those things? I wondered looking a half eaten gummie. 

Cindy! get...get over here! I want you to take care of things. Not a word from you. I'll be in the office. I'm not feeling too good. If anything major happens let me know. The assignments are on the board and the sheet over there. Here take the head set. I moaned my order to her as my feet barely dragged me to the couch. 

Just need some rest... I thought as my mind began to wander off. 

**Point of view: DET. SUNG*****************************************

  
"Look," I tell Logan, "I'm about to go across town and I'm going to be out of pocket for a while..."   
  
I have to phrase this next carefully-   
  
"In order for this stuff, these gummies to be hitting the streets in quantity like this-" I begin, but Logan's quick mind is already onto it.   
  
"Means this is no ordinary drug smuggling operation," Logan says, completing my thought. He's silent for a moment, then says: "Department involvement."   
  
"I believe so, yeah. I don't know at what level, or who, or how many though," I tell him. But they're already calling for me.   
  
"That's all I've got for now," I say. "But look- if there's a possibility, I'm going to try and snag one of these kids for you."   
  
I hang up; I've done what I can for now and it's time to ride. Things are moving quickly here on the streets. I can hear radio calls, instructions being given. For the first time, I have the feeling I may not live through the night.   
  
**Point of view: MAX*****************************************

I return to Jam Pony through crowds of people screaming names at me and trying to be something they're not. 

A little like me. That thought just crept into my head. Well, I am pretending to be human instead of the freak show I am. But these kids, they're humans pretending to be freaks because of some spiked candy. That's cruel. I was created in a lab, where at least we were taken care of, even if it was hardly what anyone would call loving. But these kids are just left out here to run amok, with no one to watch out for them. 

Then one tries to steal my bike when I stop at an intersection. 

"I'm Zack!" he cries, "Hand over the bike now, or I'll be forced to commandeer it, Manticore scum!" 

Whoa, that's a little too close for comfort. I put a hand to his forehead and shove him away. "Never steal a girl's transportation."   
Transportation . . . my baby! How badly I want to ride her, but through this crowd, no way. Too dangerous. She could get scratched. 

Finally at Jam Pony, I'm surprised to see Cindy at Normal's desk.   
"Hey, look at you, Sista, playin' boss lady," I call to her, "Where's Normal?" 

Cindy shrugs. "Bathroom," she said, "He got all sweaty and queasy after eating these sticky things." she points to a bag of gummy bears. 

"Odd," I reply reaching for one, "But then I suppose Normal's stomach isn't made for the finer things in life, like post-pulse gummies." Gummies. Max, you idiot! I drop the gummy on its way to my mouth. Sure enough the bag bears the MantiCorny label. Who knows what they would have done to a real Manticore. 

Might be a good idea to bring Logan a sample though. "I'll take 'em for later," I say dropping the gummies into my bag. 

"Sure. He'll never notice where they went." Cindy grins. 

"Since you're playing boss, can I go home early?" 

Cindy looks at the clock. "Sure, boo. See you at Crash later?" 

"If I can get there," I reply. 

At Logan's I open the door and find Terry stretching out on the couch, watching Logan and Bling. I can't tell for sure which one she's more interested in. But it better not be Logan. 

"Want a gummie?" I ask innocently holding out the bag. 

She wrinkles her nose. "No, thank you. I don't do the Spam-in-a-can gourmet thing." 

Darn. 

"Hey, Logan, catch," I say throwing the bag to him. 

**Point of view: LOGAN*****************************************

I catch the bag that Max throws me and look inside. Gummies. 

"I'm guessing these are not the standard gummies?" I ask. 

"No, I don't think so. Normal had a few and started behaving kind of strange. Strange even for Normal." 

Normal's the oldest person I've heard of yet with Manticorny addiction. I wonder if it will affect him differently.   
"How strange?" 

"Really odd," Max says. She's talking to me and keeping one eye on Tinga. This conversation isn't going to go anywhere like that. 

"Bling, why don't you show Terry around a bit? Only as much as you can do safely, stay out of the crowds. But she should know her way around in case of an emergency." 

Bling raises an eyebrow. "Sure." He smiles at Tinga and offers her his arm. She accepts and they saunter out the door, Tinga leaning a bit too much into Bling's side. 

"So, Max, tell me what's going on at JamPony." 

**Point of view: MAX*****************************************

"JamPony? Well, Normal's in the bathroom retching, but I'll spare you the details. I don't wanna ruin your appetite," I tell him, "Cindy's holding down the fort and she gave me the afternoon off. She's supposed to call if Normal starts screaming names and jumping out of the shallow end of the gene pool like the sorry azzes out in the streets." 

Logan looks at me. I think he can tell my mind is not on the current crisis. "So, you're not worried about a city full of people screaming names of your siblings while performing feats of derring do?" 

"Oh no, I am worried about that. But I'm more worried about you and that Teena - " 

"Terry," he smiles. The annoying one. 

"Whatever. Alls I'm saying is she doesn't seem at all your type." 

"And what would my type be?" he asks looking at me with that I-know-what-you're-thinking-smug-type look, "You?" 

"Well, she's certainly elegant, turning her nose up at gummies, but she's a little too ambiguous for you." 

"Ambiguous?" 

"Morally. She's a playa playa, and I'm not sure what her game is." 

He just looks at me. Damn, I've said too much. Time to change the subject. 

"So, what's the dealio with these MantiCorny gummies making everyone so hyper?" 

**Point of view: ORIGINAL CINDY*****************************************

As I watch Normal rush to the bathroom, again, I can't help but laugh at him, why would gummies make someone so sick? 

*Sketchy walks up to main desk* 

"how are ya holdin things down?" 

"I don't know what your dealio was boy, but I got things covered here, everyone listens to good ol' Original Cindy" 

"that's only cuz you're pushy and loud mouthed" 

"you wanna see how pushy I can get? 173 Brooklyn street, NOW!" 

"no way am I gonna go out there again man, it's anarchy!" 

"what do you mean, and don't think you can pull off some cheap excuse, you're talking to the Queen of getting-outta-work here" 

"have you been outside lately?" Sketchy says in a panicked tone. "People are running around, fighting, and screaming out names, it's like everyone in the city has suddenly gone on a bad trip!" 

"huh? Sketchy are you sure you're not the one having a bad trip? and what do you mean "names"?" 

"I'm fine, it's the rest of the city, and I mean names, one example is Max, do you think that means anything? Where is she anyways?" 

"just cause some wiggas are yelling out my girls name doesn't mean it means anything, my Boo isn't the only Max alive ya know. And sista girl took the day off, now move outta my way, Original Cindy needs to see for herself what's going on"   
/I don't believe one word this boy is feeding me, and if he's lying, I'm gonna run his sorry-no-good-spliff-smoking-butt all over town/ 

As I step out side JamPony, I am almost run over by some wack wigga on a bike who is screaming out "I'm in enemy territory, I must find safer ground". Turning around, closing the door, and looking at everyone in JamPony, I say 

"lets call it a day okay peeps? runs are off" 

**Point of view: NORMAL*****************************************

[flush] 

"...head...hurt's...what's...going on?....where am I?" said as my stomach nearly turned. 

"The last thing I remember was Lydecker...what was it I was doing?...a drill..I think. This place doesn't look like Manticore I'd better report to the tac leader" I thought as I studied the bathroom. 

I stumbled to the door and opened it to find a large room with people coming in and out on bikes. 

"Was I on a infiltration mission? I had better play it safe until I can figure this out. Recon was definitely needed for this." I thought to myself. 

A woman in the center cage near the front seemed to be issuing orders. Perhaps she was the tac leader? I approached her cautiously not knowing what duties or assignment's I was supposed to be performing. 

"Excuse me, I'm here..." I said before she interrupted me. The woman threw a headset and said she had places to go and packages to deliver. Apparently this was a delivery service of some kind. 

"What?.." I asked hoping she would give me a little more intel. Instead she grabbed a jacket from behind her chair and came out of the cage. She headed over to what I assumed to be her bike. 

As she was leaving she asked if I had any more stuff for her to do. 

"No..?.." I said guessing. It seemed I had some authority here. 

A strange man came up to me next babbling about something I couldn't make out and ...some greater power of some kind? I think this was it. This had to be the mission this strange man must be a terrorist dealing in a nuclear device...or was he? 

The man stood there waiting for me sticking his hand out. What did he want? Did I have the security codes or something? I needed a general statement to delay him..... 

"Come back later!?..." I said as he began to slowly walk towards the ramp with his bike. 

A name was spoken by one of the riders.....Max! was she here? Another man came up to me and handed me sheets and stood waiting for more orders of some kind. 

"Take those packages over there and get moving!" I yelled with authority. It felt right somehow... I thought. I headed to the back of the cage and sat on the chair vacated by the woman who he had initially thought was in charge. 

A phone rang...."Hello?" I asked hesitantly as I began to study the desk and the contents on it. "...Jam Pony messenger service..?" I continued. This was going to be a long day I thought but I then I noticed a bag of candy...


	3. Tinga

Author's Note: the roles of Det. Sung, Sketchy, and Normal are currently being re-cast. We are also looking for original characters to be bad guys (Reds, government agents, etc.) Please visit the RPG folder at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages for information, or contact me at jennem@bigfoot.com.  
  
  
Point of View: LOGAN ****************************************  
Max is jealous. I can't believe it. I wonder if it's actually me she's jealous over, or if she's just protecting her territory. And...I'll have to think about that later.   
I show her what little I've been able to locate so far. "I don't know what the dealio is, as you so eloquently put it. They're produced in Vermont, which is slowing down any information on their production. We can't even be sure at this point if these were produced by the same company--someone could be doing a good mockup job. The other question, beyond production, is how the hell everyone suddenly knows so much about Manticore? I can understand drugs causing hallucinations, but these people are pulling out facts."   
Max laughs. "Tell me about it. I wonder if the tattoo parlors are doing good business in applying bar codes."   
"That's not a bad question," I reply. "I should have someone check that out. In the meantime, we're going to have to get our hands on a couple of infected people. See if we can get their minds clear enough to give us an idea of what's going on."   
"Start with Normal," she said. "I've always wanted to get inside that man's mind."   
"Good idea. I'll see what I can do," I tell her, writing down a few notes. "Now, Max, about Terry."   
Point of View: JONDIE ****************************************  
Stepping off the plane was perhaps one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Right next to giving up quite a large chunk of my salary to get on this stupid flight. And of course trying to smuggle my dog on the flight. I confess I take the poor thing everywhere.   
The whole way over I questioned my going. "Why am I doing this??" I mean going to the source of a problem this monumental was probably not going to do anything..."But get me killed.." I said it out loud in the best Zack impression I could muster. I was still mad at him...we both had tempers.and they often collided. I was not one to take orders easily, well at least not since I had gained this pseudo-freedom...let's just say Zack's agenda put a look on my face like the one I used to get during live ordinance drills, a mix of terror and grim determination.   
I am shaken from my ever-wandering thoughts by some crazy woman bumping into me. I look at her oddly...she looks possessed. "Gotta problem?" I instantly reprimand myself...I've really got to calm my nerves..take things as they come. I continue walking trying to fit in, however fitting into this crowd constitutes acting like a maniac. I wrestle with the idea...and finally give in.   
"Lydecker" I scream..that feels weird..."we have the objective in sight." I sigh to myself..I felt like a true spectacle, but hey at least I blended in. I continued on trying to be the true actress that I'm truly not. Then, to my surprise, someone grabs me. I give him a look that could take out a whole herd of unsuspecting bike messengers. "It's ok...we're going to help you." His gentle grip tightens on my arm, as my muscles tense.   
Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY ****************************************  
I watch as Normal comes stumbling out of the bathroom and over to me.   
"Finally, here ya' go," I say, handing Normal the headset. "Original Cindy's taken care of everythin' so far, but I gotta blaze, I'm taken a run, then I'm taken the day off" I notice Normal's looking a little dazed and confused, "you okay Normal, I mean, your paler then your usual pasty faced self?"   
Normal nods his head yes, and as I walk to the door he starts yelling out orders.   
/guess he's feeling fine now/ I think to myself.   
As a hop on my bike, and ride down town, on my way to deliver my last run of the day, more of these tripped out peeps are running around. Sketchy was right, it's like everyone's suddenly gone off on a bad trip.   
All of a sudden, a guy jumps in front of me yelling "where's Max? Max I need back up!! Now, Lydecker's on me, what do I do? MAX!!"   
I jump off my bike and grab the guy by the collar. "Listen buddy, I don't know what you're yappin' about, but I want you to stop talking about my girl Max and get outta my way!"   
the guy tries to hit me, and I grab is arm, he yells "enemy attack" and runs away from me.   
/what the h*ll has gotten into people? has everyone totally lost it?/. "it's time to call Max, see what my boo's up to, and if she knows what the dealio is about why half the town is yellin' her name"   
I deliver my last package, and then stop at a pay phone and dial Max's number.   
Point of View: MAX ****************************************  
"About Terry," Logan begins.   
Uhoh, don't like where this is going. Better stop it before it goes anywhere I'm not ready to take it.   
"Look, you don't owe me an explanation. She's helping you with a mission, right? Some sort of witness to something or other?"   
"You could say that," he says, tilting his head and looking up at me, "But that's not what I meant. Terry is, a . . . uh, . . . "   
Why's he having a problem with this. I thought the boy was blind to Terry's, er, advances.   
"Terry's what? An old girlfriend? It's ok, Logan, I'm fine with it."   
"Are you sure?" He's giving me one of his quizzical looks.   
"Why? Should I be not fine with it?"   
Before he can reply, Bling walks in with Miss Terry herself. She's coyly smiling at him and being disgustingly cute. She's flirting with him. Good.   
Then she turns it on Logan. Bad.   
Point of View: BLING ****************************************  
If they had tails... They would be fully frizzed up.   
Max and... Terry.   
I'm really starting to feel bad... Max was all about finding her siblings, now she has one and they're totally at each other's throats. At least it's not literally... yet.   
But.. I better move some of these vases to a lower shelf, just in case.   
I feel like I'm on the inside of practical joke that's about to go really bad.   
I'm really surprised at Max. She's always a little jealous of any female around Logan... but this is something totally different. The two of them are... pointed at each other. I wonder if they were this competitive at Manticore.   
Time to be brave, I walk between the two of them slowly to get an empty tea cup from Logan... and... whew.   
That little break in eye contact and they're off to neutral corners.   
Logan sees it too.   
Now they're pretending NOT to look at each other. I have an idea... I hope this works.   
"Logan, I'm going to need an hour off to go to the gym..."   
Logan looks at me like I'm nuts. I walk over and stand next to Terry, then turn back to Logan.   
"Although my spotter canceled on me because of all the craziness out there. I hope I can find a replacement or I'm going to have switch up my workout."   
I head into the kitchen....   
Here kitty kitty kitty.   
Point of View: TINGA ****************************************  
What's that lousy pickup line I've heard more than a few times...'Baby, I hate it when you leave but I love to watch you go'? Something like that. It definitely flits through my head as Bling heads away.   
I don't know what his game is, though. Turns up the charm when others are around, turns it down when we're alone. Well, if you call touring the streets of a drug addled Seattle //alone//. If I fully analyzed it, I'm sure I could figure it out. But I might not like the answer. So I'll do what I always do, stall and improvise till the answer I like comes up.   
I look over at Logan and Max. They're watching me, Logan with befuddled amusement, Max with jealousy mingled with disgust. Why that girl rubs me the wrong way is beyond me. It's like we have some old beef we don't remember...   
Whatever. I'm getting //far// too introspective in my old age. I let a predatory smile grow on my face and follow after him. He's pouring himself a water, leaning serenely against the counter. His face is a mask of calm detachment.   
We'll see if it stays that way. I move in, too close, one leg on either side of him. Calmly I reach for the water pitcher behind him, "accidentally" brushing his arm. Pouring a glass of water without looking anywhere but his eyes, I say, "//I// can spot you."   
He chuckles. "I'm sure you can." He hasn't moved an inch, still doesn't seem phased by the breaking of his personal bubble. That's almost more intriguing than the merely obvious. "Got some workout clothes?"   
"If I don't, I'm sure I could borrow some from Miss Thing's everyday wardrobe. What does a man like Logan see in a girl like Max, anyway?"   
My mind locks on that last statement and starts replaying it in a loop, like it does when I've just figured out a major clue. Only this couldn't be that, could it?   
'A girl like Max...' still echoes insanely through my head, and suddenly I don't see the kitchen, I see the barracks, I see Zack, I see Jondie and Eva...and Max.   
The same eyes. Why didn't I realize she has the same eyes?   
"Max..." I barely realize I've whispered it. Abruptly I spin and dart out of the room, just as the phone starts to ring...   
Point of View: NORMAL ****************************************  
It's been about an hour and from what I've been able to gather it seems my name is Normal? what kind of dumb name is that? Oh, well.   
That "Herbal" guy seems to be the key to this but I just can't understand a word he's saying. It might be code but if it is I can't break it.   
I decided to search the counter and nearby area for a key sheet or hint to unlock his speech...no luck!   
"Yes!? Who? Sketchy? hold on a moment. Sketchy!?..." I half order and ask holding the phone.   
A cute guy walks up to the counter and picks up the phone. I was thinking of getting his number when I accidentally saw a my reflection in a small out of the way mirror.....I.......I was...was ..a...man!....and a old ugly one at that! I thought. Where was my face? I said examining the face in the mirror.   
I checked myself by pulling my shirt out...."What the!..." I stopped, as everyone turned to look at me. Did ...was ...this ...part of the assignment? I had to contact base and find out what was going on. I needed answers and only Lydecker would have them.   
"You....Sketchy...I'm leaving you in charge!" I ordered as he was still talking on the phone. I quickly left and ran up the ramp to the outside. I had to find a secure line to contact Manticore but where?   
Point of View: MAX ****************************************  
I watch Terry follow Bling into the kitchen. Bling may be incredibly wise, but he's no playa. I hope he knows what he's doing. Terry's the kind that swallows 'em hole, then spits 'em out.   
Logan looks up at me, "Max, Terry is - " He gets cut off by the phone ringing. He grabs it, almost swearing. He wants to tell me something about Miss Terry, but keeps getting interrupted.   
The phone is Det. Sung. It's about the gummies. But I don't get to listen because Terry comes sprinting out of the kitchen. She stops when she sees me, and stares.   
Like she's sizing me up as competition. Well, I can take as well as I give, and I can dish it out good.   
"Terry," I begin, in a sugary voice, "What's wrong? Can't decide which one you want?"   
Point of View: LOGAN ****************************************  
  
Tinga knows. It was obvious. It was the first time I'd seen her off center since she first showed up with Bling. And she took off before I could tell exactly how she feels about it.   
The phones ringing, but for once the machine can get it. It's Sung, but I can't leave these two alone even to talk to him.   
Tinga turns again and returns to the kitchen. She won't answer Max.   
Max is looking after Tinga, confused. Well, irritated as hell, but now confused too.   
"Max, we need to talk, and not here. Let's go downstairs, there has to be someplace around here that's not crawling with Manticorny addicts."   
She turns that pissed expression on me. "Are you sure you can bear to leave little miss Terry for even a few minutes? You might miss her next makeup application."   
"Max, I couldn't care less about her damn makeup." I lower my voice. "She's here for another reason and if you come with me I'd be happy to explain it to you."   
Max is regaining control of her attitude. "Why would I care if you've got a little houseguest? But if it's really all that important, fine, talk to me."   
"Not here. There's a coffee shop down the street." Betting that she won't trust me to be alone in the streets right now, I head out, hoping Max will follow. Passing by the kitchen, I tell Bling we'll be right back. Max trails me, reluctantly, into the elevator and punches the button.   
The streets in this section are relatively quiet for the moment. Looks like the X5 wannabes have a mission in another sector. We make it to the coffee shop without incident.   
"So?" she asks. "What's so important about the fabulous Terry?"   
Might as well just spit it out, then. She needs to know.   
"Max, her name's not Terry. She didn't recognize you at first, although I think she just did."   
"I'm still not following you, Logan."   
"Max, that's Tinga."   
Point of View: MAX ****************************************  
Logan wants me to follow him to this coffee shop so that we can talk about Terry. Sitting in the coffee shop, he drops the bomb on me.   
"Max, that's Tinga."   
Tinga? My sister is Terry? Boy did she change. The Tinga I remember was never so, well, predatory. It could be from all the years she's spent out there doing god knows what.   
"Tinga?" I finally say, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"   
"Max, she's, well, Tinga had to leave her previous address because things got to hot there for her. She's an unknown quantity, Max."   
"So you don't trust her?"   
"Not quite. She seems the type that'll do whatever it takes to get what she wants, and then throw it away as soon as she's bored. I asked for her help, but she'll only help as much as it benefits her."   
He's right. Tinga would have been willing to go to the mat for me, or anyone of us. I'm not so sure about Terry, especially if she keeps chasing Bling and Logan.   
Logan's studying me with a bemused expression on his face.   
"What?"   
"Your reaction to Terry. Or, I should say, to her flirting with me."   
Better derail this train before it leaves the station. "What reaction? And don't you have to call Det. Sung back?"   
Point of View: ZACK ****************************************  
  
As I walked down the street towards the airport I wondered if max thought I was dead. Getting on the small bush plane I sat at the window. The pilot got in and I gave him his five hundred dollars in exchange for safe passage to Seattle, no questions asked.   
  
When I arrived in Seattle the people were acting strange they were shouting about Lydecker, and saying names of my siblings.   
I rented a hotel room in town. For now I decided to lay low for awhile, and there I stayed watching and waiting . . .   
  
Point of View: LOGAN ****************************************  
  
Max is pulling back again. A few minutes ago she's ready to spit nails because Tinga rubs my arm, and now she's acting like she couldn't care less. Cute.   
"Right. I have to get back to Sung. But Max, when we go back up there, it might be better if you don't let on that you know who "Terry" is. See how she handles it."   
Max considers for a moment. "You have a point. I'm not sure if I can do that, without her figuring it out, though. She'll see through me in a second, if she's already realized who I am."   
"I'm pretty sure she has." I think, not wanting to send her out on the streets in this insanity, but knowing that she's the only one who can handle it.   
"There's another option. We're going to need to get our hands on a couple of infected people. Normal, random teenagers, whatever. You're probably the only one who can speak to them in a language they understand, convince them to come with you. You up for it?"   
  



	4. Jondie

# Author's Note: the roles of Det. Sung, Sketchy, and Normal are currently being re-cast.We are also looking for original characters to be bad guys (Reds, government agents, etc.) Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages][1] for information, or contact me at jennem@bigfoot.com.

# 

# Point of View: TINGA ************************************* 

I returned to the kitchen almost as fast as I left it. Bling has a worried look on his face. Like he just got busted, which he did. 

"Problems?" he asked blandly. I ignored him, turned from him and considered my thoughts to the matter at hand. He made some concerned noises, as if to start a conversation, but I raised my hand sharply, not looking back, and he stopped. 

Max. That was definitely her in there. My "sister". She hasn't changed all that much from the little girl I knew. Though one would think she'd have been smart enough to change her name. She always was frightfully stubborn. 

Once, finding my sibs had been the utmost priority out there. The only one who'd fallen back into my life had been Zack, pulling me out of a jam that I'd gotten myself into. Damn near lost my looks, as well as my life, on that one. I'd been ever so grateful and happy to find my "brother" in my life again. 

Not for long. He'd pushed me away, discarded me like I wasn't worth knowing. Said it was for my "protection", and the protection of my sibs, but I knew better. 

He didn't want me. 

I'd wallowed in it a while, of course. Then I'd decided enough was enough. //I// wanted me. And I'd make damn sure I got whatever else I wanted. No more depending on anyone else. 

Including Max. 

While I was thinking this through, Logan called a goodbye as he wheeled out, Max trailing obediently behind him. Like a dog. //This// was why I never tied myself to anyone. Because sooner or later they bagged you, turned on you to serve themselves. I was through being someone's pet, dancing around, waiting only for a word of encouragement. I served my own needs, did what //I// wanted. 

And right now I wanted to get out of here. Out of Seattle. This town was crazier than most of the people I knew. 

And these losers just wanted to use me. No way. I do the using. 

Giving Bling a murderous glance, I sweep past him and into the guest room. Time to pack it in. 

**Point of View: MAX ************************************* **

If I'm going to gather specimens for Logan, I'm going to do it my way. Starting with Normal. 

As we leave the coffee shop, I notice our reflection in the mirror. Logan rolling alongside me. It just looks right. I stare for a few minutes, remembering the days when a sight like that would have made me bolt. 

But now . . . 

Logan pays for his cappuccino and my coffee, black like my mood. He catches me looking at our reflection. "You don't have anything on your face, Max," he teases, but I know he's got an idea of what I'm thinking. 

"I was just thinking. Listen, I'm going to head over to Jam Pony and collect Normal. Got any other errands for me?" I plaster a cheery smile on my face. 

"Would it be too much to ask you to take the gummies to Det. Sung?" he asks, "I'd like to get them analyzed." 

"No big dealio," I shrug. 

Logan and I go back to his penthouse to retrieve the gummies. Before I go, I step into the bathroom. I'm drying my hands when I hear a rustling noise. Creeping out into the hall, I go to investigate. 

Tinga's there, a bag slung over her shoulder. She's looking at the statue of Bast that Logan had given me, after I stole it, and then he'd rescued it form the black market. 

I hadn't accepted it the second time, but I still felt that it was my statue. 

Tinga reached out and picked it up, slipping it into her bag. She had the same fascination with it that I had. But the statue was mine. 

She turns, and finally sees me. I'm blocking her path. 

"Where do you think you're going?" 

**Point of View: NORMAL ************************************* **

I can't believe I'm standing on this line waiting to use a phone. What is taking so long? I thought to myself. I spent fifteen minutes looking for a phone nearby Jampony in case I was ordered to go back. I didn't want anyone who worked there to overhear my conversation. 

"Excuse me what is that person up front doing?" I asked staring at the head of the line. 

"I think he's calling Manticore like the rest of us. We must report in or Lydecker will chew us out again." said a middle aged overweight balding man wearing a plaid blazer. 

Oh great! a nut. I had to be standing in a line full of nut's! I don't know any of them do I? 

Looking up and down the line I didn't see anyone that looked familiar.   
A teenager ran up behind me and demanded that I tell him where Zack was. 

"I dunno?" I said to him as he rushed off again asking another nearby pedestrian about Zack. 

A well dressed woman carrying her small dog in one hand and a cell phone in another walked towards my direction. I decided to snatch the phone out of her hand and call Manticore and find out what was going on but before I could do it the insane teen that had been asking about Zack pushed the woman to the ground and ran away with the phone. I went over to help her up since the phone was gone anyway. 

"Thank you." said the blonde haired woman smiling up at me. 

"It's alright. I'm glad I could help." I said. The woman continued to smile at me in a very familiar way. Oh! no. She was hitting on me. I will never hear the end of this from Jondie or the others if they find out I thought. 

"I would like to thank you. Perhaps..we...could.." she said. 

"Um..sorry I've got to got to work. I'm late maybe if I see you again or something. Bye!" I said interrupting her as I headed back towards Jam Pony in case she was following me. 

I turned around for a quick peek and I could see the woman ducking behind the side of the building with her dog. I use my speed to try to get out of sight but for some reason I was so slow. Something was wrong. It didn't feel right. I needed help. 

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY ************************************* **

/so here I sit, in Crash, alone. My lickety chick is no where to be seen, and Max is ignoring my pages/ *smile* she's probably off with her suga daddy Logan. 

It's just getting stranger and stranger out there. As is sit here, two girls break out in a fight. Thinking it's just your average cat fight in a bar, I get a little closer, trying to get a better look at the action. Only then do I realize that they are grunting and yelling names like "Max" and "Zack" and one of them is talking about having to destroy the enemy and get back to some place called Manticore to help some Lydecker guy. /that's to wacked for me/ I think as I walk away. 

I go sit at the bar, and order another drink, an apple martini, and the bar tender offers me some gummie bears, I'm just about to eat one when I realize that, that's what Normal was eating before he got sick. I put it back and look around. There are 2 girls and a guy sitting at a table behind me, they are eating something, the gummies maybe? and then all of a sudden, they jump up and one of the girls yells, "Zack, Tinga, we have to report back to Manticore right away", and the 3 take off. 

"no thanx, Original Cindy don't do sweets" I say to the bar tender. /this is tooo weird, I'm gonna head back to JamPony and call Max again/ I only hope I can get back with out being hit up by one of these wiggas/ 

I make it to JamPony with out too much trouble. Normal is nowhere to be seen, Sketchy is sitting on the couch watching TV, some news program, and Herbal is at the main desk, probably waitin for Normal to get back. 

"Hey my brotha, what's the dealio?" I ask Herbal as I reach for the phone. I dial Max's pager .... hoping for an answer this time. 

**Point of View: BLING ************************************* **

I feel like crap. That look Tinga gave me… She wasn't just pissed, she was hurt. 

I splash some water on my face. I catch my reflection staring back at me from the water. 

Working with Logan… I'm supposed to find it easier to look at myself in the mirror.   
Right now. I'm having trouble. 

I hear Logan and Max come back in. Thank goodness. 

I come out and see Max confronting Tinga. 

I walk behind Tinga. 

I look right at Max and say 

"Logan finally clued you in?" 

Max responds "Yeah" 

I turn to Tinga. 

"I know you've figured it out. You may want to stick around long enough to figure out we are the good guys." 

"Like I need good guys in my life." She quips back. 

"I don't think anybody really wants to be alone. Do you?" 

Her head drops a little and she looks away from both me and Max. 

**Point of View: TINGA ************************************* **

Bling's words echo in my mind. "I don't think anybody really wants to be alone. Do you?" 

Do I? I've tried to convince myself I do. And I've managed fairly well on my own. For the most part. 

But part of me still longs to be a part of that group that got fractured that night...running in the freezing cold, feeling my soul freeze up on me with every step... 

I can't. I can't risk so much on so little. They want to //use// me, this I know. Use me, and then what? I make my decision, turn and try to push past Bling... 

Who reaches out, and calmly places a hand on my shoulder. I stop. I'm not sure why; it's certainly not because he can stop me. I can feel him trying to make me look at him. Stubbornly I refuse. He places his free hand on my other shoulder. Knowing what I could do to him. And stares straight at me. Finally I look up. He's staring me straight in the eyes, like nobody's done since Manticore. 

"Do you?" he repeats, quietly. And suddenly I know I don't, not any more. I can tell by the look in his eyes he knows, too. 

It's a long, unbroken moment. The connection between us suddenly turned real, not the playa-playa game like before. And I know that I'm going to be stuck in this crazy city a while longer...if Max and I can get on the right foot for once. I turn to her, more afraid than I've ever been, more than that night in the snow. 

**Point of View: MAX ************************************* **

I'm watching the exchange between Bling and Tinga. "Do you?" he says softly. 

I know I don't want to be alone. I've learned that lesson, thanks to Logan. 

Tinga's considering it. I can see she's struggling between her true self and her hard core exterior. She's dropped the playa exterior. She turns to me, and I can see the escape playing out in her eyes. 

And I'm there with her. "Tinga," I whisper, "I don't want to lose you again." 

Bling, sensing the change in her, releases her. She's still not sure that I'm sincere. I can't blame her, I'd doubt it if I'd been making eyes at my sister's boyfriend, er, friend. 

"I've been looking for you," I tell her, "And now that I have you, I'm not ready to let you go." Reaching out, I put my hand out there. It's up to her now. 

She hesitates. Could Zack have something to do with that? Then she accepts it, pulling me into a hug. There's a satisfied look on Bling's face. 

Then my damn beeper goes off. I look at it. Cindy, and it's important. 

"I have to take it," I tell her, "But I'll be back." 

She nods. I turn around and face Logan, who has rolled in, all serious. 

"Can I ask you two to leave your weapons at the door or is that impossible for genetically engineered killing machines?" he asks, "If we're going to work together on this, you guys need to declare a truce. Can we all get along for the sake of the greater good?" 

"Sure." Bling returns to the kitchen. 

"Fine," says Tinga, going to her room. 

"No big dealio," I shrug heading to the phone. 

Logan sits in the now empty room with a puzzled expression on his face. "Did I miss something here?" 

**Point of View: CINDY ************************************* **

waiting in JamPony for Max, I begin to wonder about Normal. Although he looked better when I left, he didn't look 100 per cent, /even thought that boy couldn't look 100 per cent if he got professional help/. I hope Max gets here soon, things are getting weirder by the minute. 

I walk over to the couch where Sketchy is sitting. On the news, the reporter is telling everyone to get back to Manticore /again with that place!/ for a briefing of the next mission. 

"Sketchy what's the dealio? Has everyone stepped over the edge or what?" 

"Your guess is as good as mine, all I know is that I'm not moving from the couch no matter what" Sketchy says, looking more and more paranoid every minute. 

"Have you noticed anyone eating anything, ya know, like gummie bears?" I ask him 

"No, I'm not exactly paying attention to the snacks these lunatics are eating Cindy, why are you hungry?" 

"well then, have you seen Normal? Boy wasn't lookin all that great, even for him" 

"He left just after you took off, and he was lookin kinda spaced out." 

"that's what I thought, oh well, Max'll be here soon, maybe she's got the dealio on this craziness" 

/at least I hope boo's got some answers, no one else does/ 

**Point of View: LOGAN ************************************* **

Something happened in this room while I was gone. And judging from the three people present, I'm not going to get a straight answer from any of them. Fine. I'll ask each of them later and hopefully figure out the truth from a combination of whatever stories they feed me. 

Damn. I hate feeling left out. Tension is high enough lately, if they're all suddenly changing opinions of each other, you'd think they might clue me in. 

Max comes back into the room. "Cindy called me from Crash. Everyone's going crazy over there, and they're giving out gummies at the bar. She keeps hearing my name, she thinks I'd better get over there quick." 

I hand her the bag of gummies. "Fine. It's as good a place as any for you to pick up some addicts. Can you just drop these off with Matt first?" 

Max takes the bag and nods. 

"And Max...what just happened with Tinga? I'm assuming that you told her what you know, even after I asked you not to. Because you went from glaring at her to grinning at her, pretty damn quick." 

Max gives me a brilliant smile. "We're sisters, after all. Sisters have been known to fight, Logan. Doesn't mean we can't get along in the long run." 

I think carefully before phrasing my answer. I don't want her hurt again, like with Brinn, or even Zack. "Max...it's been a long time. I'm sure she wants to get along with you too....but if things get stressful you don't know how she may react." 

Max's smile dims a little. I hate that. "I know. And I'll be careful. But I have to try." 

I watch her face for a moment and decide to drop the subject. I'll get a better idea of the situation from Bling. 

"I can understand that. Basic human instinct. But for now, you'd better get going. And Max?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Be careful." 

**Point of View: MAX ************************************* **

Logan wants me to be careful regarding Tinga. I know he thinks I'm going to get hurt like with Zack and Brin. But thing is, I have to take that chance. 

But I will be careful. I've lost both Brin and Zack. And it's my fault. Logan's told me that they made those choices themselves, but it was still because of me, or I could have done something. 

I'm not going to make that mistake with Tinga. 

I'm on my bike headed to Crash. I'm supposed to meet Cindy there. But I'm keeping an eye out for prospective specimens. Swinging by the police station, I drop off the bag of gummies as Logan had asked. 

"Special delivery from Logan Cale," I say plopping the bag on Det. Sung's desk, "a bag of wonky gummies." 

"Thank you, Max," Sung says looking up at me. He takes the bag and peers inside. 

"They may look tasty," I say, "But I wouldn't wanna find out." 

He smiles at me. "Tell Logan I'll get these analyzed right away." 

"No praw," I reply, then turn and head off back on my way to Crash. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages



	5. Zack

Author's Note: the roles of Det. Sung, Sketchy, and Normal are currently being re-cast. We are also looking for original characters to be bad guys (Reds, government agents, etc.) Please visit the RPG folder at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages for information, or contact me at jennem@bigfoot.com.  
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************   
I decided to go to Logan. I've been laying low for awhile now, but I needed to know what was going on in this city, and how max was. After the accident I didn't want to contact max it could have put her in danger. I am not sure if I'll tell max I am here I don't want her judgment being clouded.   
I walk down the street towards Logan's. stopping at a sushi bar.   
I walk to the back of the restaurant to make a call.   
"Logan this is Zack, we need to talk"   
"is max around? don't tell her I am here."   
" we need to talk in private"   
I hang up the phone and get a drink. Noticing people acting like Manticore kids. Talking about Lydecker and max it was to weird to stick around so I left. Walking towards the park I see Lydecker's hum vees drive by.*great with all these kids running around they won't know who's who* sitting on a bench I wait for Logan.  
Point of View: NORMAL *****************************************  
  
As I approached Jam Pony a tall slim male figure stepped forward and jabbed my right arm with a needle and ran. I started to give chase but my head started to spin. I reached out and leaned on the nearby wall. I slumped down to the cold concrete ground and began to convulse involuntarily. My mind started to fade into darkness.   
"What...where..am...I?" I said looking around for my glasses. I groped around for a few seconds before finding it. "Oh! no I'm late for work!" I said as looked at my watch and noticed the time. I lurched to my feet and shambled forward towards Jam Pony.   
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************   
Max leaves with the gummies, and Tinga is off in the bedroom doing...whatever. I head to the kitchen and corner Bling.   
"Bling, do you want to fill me in on whatever happened between Max and Tinga out there?"   
Bling smiles. "Under the makeup, the nails, and the attitude, Tinga is just a lost little girl. Like another one we know. She finally admitted it, that's all."   
I sigh. "I'd love to believe that, Bling, but Max...gets so attached. We really don't know enough about Tinga. Ten years of this life...it's not going to disappear in a minute. And I don't want Max in trouble. Or hurt."   
Bling's face turns serious. "Logan, I know. She still can't be trusted, not entirely. But there's something there, and it can't be thrown away. I'll keep my eye on her. You know I'm up to it."   
I wonder. I haven't seen Bling get personally involved with any of my informants before, no matter how unreliable. But if I trust him, I have to let him take care of it. And I do trust him.   
The phone rings and I grab it, hoping it's Max. It's not.   
"Logan, this is Zack."   
Zack.   
"Is Max around?"   
I find my voice. "No, she's not here."   
"Don't tell her I'm here. We need to talk in private."   
Zack gives me directions to some park bench, right in the middle of the chaos. He's also convinced he's seen Lydecker's convoy, but I've been keeping track of military movements and haven't heard of anything. Still...   
"Zack, stay put. I'll be there as soon as I can."   
Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY *****************************************   
at JamPony, I finally get ahold of Max, and we agree to meet back at Crash, so she can scope out the peeps that are running around calling her name. And sure enough, she was with her suga daddy /why am I not surprised?/ Boo is getting pretty attached to him, which is fine, if you're for the whole "one person for ever" thing, but for some reason, I don't see Max as that kinda girl.   
I go to leave JamPony, and Sketchy jumps in front of me.   
"Where are you going?"   
"I'm heading to Crash to meet Max, you wanna come with?"   
"You're going to meet Max at the Crash, sure I'll come. What are the objectives?"   
"Boy what are talking about, I'm gonna go and meet Max and see if she knows what the dealio is, are you coming or not?" I look at Sketchy, and notice that he is chewing on something, "what are you eating?"   
"Gummie bears, do you want some?"   
I snatch the bag from Sketchy's hand, and he yells at me and tries to get them back. "Sorry boo, no more sugary sweetness for you until we know what these things do." I saw to him as I lead him to the door. "Now you are definitely coming with, I can't have you running around with the rest of these crazy's, even though you'd fit in perfectly"   
As Sketchy and I shake it down to Crash, all he talks about is meeting Max, and how it's been so long since he's seen his 'sister'. /Damn, what's in these things?/   
Point of View: TINGA *****************************************   
Enhanced hearing can be a curse. In this case, it's not as bad as it can get. I actually have people saying somewhat nice things about me that doesn't revolve around my anatomy, for once.   
This room is nice, but boring. Actually, that fits the entire apartment. I'm getting itchy feet again. I start to put on my "traveling clothes", mobile, durable, flexible, and dressed to kill.   
Just then the phone rings. I'm lacing up a boot when I hear Logan say "Zack." The name hits me hard. Zack, here? And Logan involved with him. Max, too? I push aside that wave of conflicting emotions for now. It's time to think tactically, not emotionally.   
I stand up, ready to follow Logan. Without his knowledge, of course. I take a step before I realize that I've only got one boot on. I pause to start putting on the other one, and hear Logan start to speak.   
"Bling, I've got to go. That was Zack; he wants to meet. Keep an eye on Tinga, would you?" D*mn. That's going to make this harder. But it shouldn't be too hard to dodge him.   
I pause by my backpack, and scoop out a few items that might come in handy. Then I sigh, mentally prepare myself by visualizing the apartment and the building as a whole, place Logan and Bling where I know them to be.   
Window's going to be the easy way out. I should be able to get out, get down and be in position before Logan gets out of the building. Forming a plan, I move forward.   
Scaling the building is actually fun. It's nice to have a chance to do this where the only objective is to stay unseen, and nobody's shooting at you.   
I take a quick scan of the street, and am relieved not to see Logan or his Aztec. Yet.   
OK, time to make plans for mobility. I spot a likely ride halfway down the street. It looks like a fully functional car, but it's been abandoned. Not that unusual, given the freakiness that seems to be widespread now. I move to the car.   
No keys. No problem. I reach under the dashboard and get to work. By the time Logan pulls out of the garage, I'm at a good vantage point down the street. I follow him, using the skills taught at Manticore to keep undetected.   
Logan drives directly toward center of town. I recognize several landmarks from my earlier walk with Bling, make a few more as we take different turns.   
Thankfully, we don't pass through any sector checkpoints. Logan stops near a park and gets out near Zack on a park bench. I continue around the block and lose the car, taking extra care sneaking up on Logan and Zack. They're talking, but I can't concentrate on the words. I'm too busy seeing red, and at its center, my big bro' Zack.   
He's here. He had to know Max was here. He's actually been doing it. He's been //keeping// us from each other. Intentionally.   
I don't care that it makes good sense tactically. It hurts that he's kept family apart, the only people ever likely to accept me for what I am.   
A group of the crazies swing by, shouting out things about Manticore and Zack and Max and even me. An inkling occurs to me. I swipe a baseball cap off a sleeping bum and join them, shouting about Lydecker and Zack's insane need to rule everything. Zack's eyes sweep over us and dismisses us as a non-threat.   
Something long bottled breaks free, and I'm moving before I realize I've made a decision. Zack's so deep in what's now an argument with Logan he doesn't see me coming. I hit him square in the back, sending him sprawling. He's up like lightning, but not before I speak.   
"Letting down your defenses. That's a major breach, soldier. It could get you killed. And then where would the world be? After all, it's depending on you personally to defend it."   
He looked at me with anger flashing. "Well, we all know we can't depend on //you// for anything," Zack responded. I bristle.   
Logan interrupts. "Tinga, back off. Zack's been through enough lately."   
I glanced in his direction. "Being supreme commander of all the forces of destiny put a man through the ringer, you mean?"   
Logan sighs. "Zack turned himself into Lydecker to clear Max."   
My mouth hangs open. I can not believe it. He won't have anything to do with me unless I'm about to be planted, but for Max he goes willingly into h*ll? "You b*stard. It takes life and death to get a second look out of you for me, but for that little skank? You always //did// have an unhealthy obsess--"   
Zack blurs into action, trying a foot sweep on me. A //foot// //sweep//. Has he forgotten all the drills we had together? I'm too fast for that, am over it and blocking the follow-up blow he throws my way. But I miss the kick he throws, and it sends a stab of pain through my chest, knocking me off balance. I stagger and try to recover as he throws another punch. At my face. I'm able to redirect the blow and its momentum, but still. Zack knows how I feel about maintaining my looks. That unlanded blow hurts worse than anything he could do to me. I stare defiantly at him. "Don't...touch...the face!" I pant as we dance around, exchanging attempted blows.   
"The face, the face," he replied, accenting his words with blows I mostly avoid. "You'd sell us all out for a tube of mascara and a good foundation."   
Logan clears his throat. "Right now we've got bigger problems," he said, pointing. In addition to the crowd we were drawing, some sector police were coming. They were having trouble getting through the crowd, which was screaming, "It's Lydecker! He's here!" They started throwing things at the police, each other, everywhere. A bike messenger got nailed by a shoe. Zack and I retreated a bit, locked eyes.   
"We'll continue this later," he snarled.   
"Count on it," I replied. He nodded curtly and abruptly turned and vanished into the growing riot.   
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************  
I didn't think my day could get any worse. Until I was treated to a ringside seat at a knock down, drag out fight between the two people most capable of destroying me, or Max. Great.   
At least it was a relief to find out it really was Zack. When he first called me, I wondered if the Manticorny infection had gone so far as to include my phone number. After all, my name had been heard in the riots.   
Fortunately, a pretty boy that big is noticeable from a distance. I could tell it was him before he could see me. Guess I wouldn't have to change my number just yet.   
So Zack's back, and I'm going to try to be nice even though he's not my favorite killing machine. Zack, as usual, won't give me any information on how he escaped from Manticore. Or even when. "Tactical exposure."   
Whatever he wants to call it, he just likes playing mysterious. Which is the last thing I need right now. Someone on the inside, someone who knows about my own involvement with Manticore, is mixed up in the MantiCorny mess. And until I figure out who, I don't need to deal with any more secrets.   
I'm not sure what Zack wants here in Seattle, anyway. He says he wants to get Max out, but he's not sounding like the same soldier-protector-commander as before. Something's off here, but I'd barely gotten the chance to realize it before Tinga landed on him.   
I should have known she might follow me. Bling's a good guy, but his experience doesn't really run to the super-soldier type. And her self-absorption is as much facade as true vanity. When it's in her own best interest to pay attention, she will. And hearing the name Zack in the next room had to be an attention-grabber.   
Too late know. Zack's gone, and I've got Tinga in the middle of this riot. Fortunately the sector police didn't witness their rather spectacular fight. But now they're pulling kids off everywhere, and I'd rather not let Tinga have the opportunity to demonstrate her genetically enhanced skills again.   
"Get in the car," I tell her.   
Tinga's got her eyes glued to Zack's retreating form. "No way. I'm trailing him now or I'll never find out where he's holing up."   
I grab her arm. Not that it will stop her, but if I can get her attention for a second she'll lose track of Zack. "Just what I need," I tell her, as condescendingly as possible. "A nice bit of sibling rivalry. Maybe for kicks I should bring Max into it and let you all fight it out."   
Tinga's expression freezes. Oops. Guess I shouldn't have mentioned Max.   
  
  
  
  
  
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************  
While me and Tinga were fighting it out the sector police headed over to see what was going on. I decided to get out of there. I ran to an ally way and jumped to the top of a building. Jumping from roof top to roof top I thought to myself*Tinga why did she come here?*I ended up on top of crash. I jumped down and walked the streets.* I have to talk to max Tinga will tell her I am here* Turning and seeing two hum vees drive I watch as they go by.*Lydecker*   
I decided to go to Logan's tonight to see max. she'll finally know for sure I am still around. I just hope max is careful. I walk down the street and bump into a woman.   
" watch where your going."   
woman: I have orders from Lydecker(she swings her fist at me)   
I grab her fist and walk away.* what's going on in this town?*   
I best lay low till tonight.   
Point of View: MAX *****************************************  
Returning from meeting Original Cindy, I stroll through downtown, looking for some hopped up peeps to snag for Logan. Too bad I missed Normal. That coulda been interesting.   
Speaking of interesting things, the look on Logan's face back there was priceless. We'd actually beaten Eyes Only to the scoop. Poor Logan. He'll recover from the shock of it eventually.   
There's a kid I know vaguely from Jam Pony screaming about Zack and Tinga. Tinga. That's new. I haven't heard them scream her name before. He's motioning for me to follow. What's the dealio here? I oughta check it out, even if my instincts are telling me not to.   
I get there just in time to see the end of it. It IS Zack and Tinga. And Logan. Interesting, definitely, but a magnet for sector police. I watch Logan grab Tinga's arm, keeping her from going after Zack.   
So, Zack's back, and he didn't contact me. Or hasn't yet. But how long is he going to wait? That hurt. My own brother wasn't going to tell me he was back.   
Well, I'd better bounce before the sector po-po's arrive. I'm surprised they haven't memorized my face by now. Not that they could really catch up to me enough to see my face.   
Point of View: DET. SUNG *****************************************  
I get the call... another fight. Not really in my line, but when I hear the details, I know I have to be there. Not your ordinary set-to by any means. I join the general scramble and within minutes, we're in the middle of a full-blown riot. As the ranking officer, I take charge of the situation. Tactically, it's a pretty simple affair- a lot of angry people, maybe some Gummy victims who will be difficult to handle mixed in.   
  
I see some bike messenger kid get nailed in the face with a shoe as rocks and garbage rain down on the uniformed men in front as they try to form a skirmish line.   
  
Not only that, but there's Logan of all people- that complicates things.   
  
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************  
Speak of the devil. Figuratively, of course. As soon as I mention Max to Tinga, I spot her on the edge of the crowd. Must have been a short meeting with Original Cindy. But if she has any sense, she'll turn around and leave right now.   
She doesn't. She hesitates for a second, then heads in our direction. I try to get Tinga into the car before Max reaches us, but I'm not really up to forcing a super-soldier to move when she doesn't want to.   
"I need to know what's going on with Zack and Max," Tinga tells me. "He's been playing keep-away with me for years, and he turns himself in for her? And shows up again to make sure she's safe? I'm not going anywhere until I find out why."   
"You'll have to ask Zack, then," Max says from behind Tinga. Tinga whirls to face her. "At least you knew he was out there, these past years," Max continued. "I didn't even know any of you had escaped, until a few months ago. He knew where I was, where you were, and didn't bother to let me in on it."   
Tinga smiles. It's not a nice smile. "Then I guess we both have some questions for him, don't we?" Max smiles back.   
Wonderful. Female bonding in the middle of a drug riot.   
"Max, weren't you supposed to be meeting with Matt Sung, and Original Cindy for that matter?"   
"Couldn't find Sung," she replies. "And Cindy was brief, it was a mess over there. I'll explain later."   
"Later is good. Meaning after we get out of here."   
I see where Matt was. Here, and he's heading in our direction, motioning me to get out of here. Which I would, but the car is surrounded by kids who seem to think it's Lydecker's humvee. Max and Tinga could pull them off, but that would attract a bit more attention than we need.   
Some scruffy kid (and is that a *beer* he's drinking? in the middle of a riot?) pops up out of nowhere. He's got a huge bruise on his forehead and an idiotic grin on his face. "Hi, Max."   
Max looks pained. Just what we need. A slacker with a crush on Max.   
Or maybe it is what we need.   
  



	6. Tread

# Author's Note: the roles of Zack, Det. Sung, Sketchy, and Normal are currently being re-cast.We are also looking for original characters to be bad guys (Reds, government agents, etc.) Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages][1] for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2].

Character note: Brinn: in this story Brinn has returned as a bad guy.

Character note: Tread: Tread is an original character from the fan fiction The Pulse.His biography follows.

Name: Tread (2020)   
Nationality: Irish/Italian-American   
Age: 52, but looks late 20's early 30's because he sheds his skin.   
Sex: Male   
Hair: White, Dyes it Dark Brown. Sometimes shaves it off.   
Eyes: Hazel   
Skin Color: Caucasian with a barely noticeable green tint.   
Height: 5'8"   
Weight: 220lbs 

History: Between 1954 and 1967 Operation Spoilsport had genetically altered over two million human embryo's in an attempt to produce a genetically enhanced super soldier. At this early stage everything was trial and error. The few embryos that did survive the engineering process died soon after. There was a great deal luck with a lot that was created Oct. 6th 1967. Out of those 200 test subjects, 3 were actually born.   
Each of them had been enhanced with a large dose of snake DNA, as well as small portions of wolf, and other species. Out of the three survivors, the first had severe deformities and retardation. It was also cannibalistic and was eventually destroyed after it escaped years later by Number 2. The third passed for human, but had severe health issues and at age 5 destabilized and literally fell apart on it's own.   
Number 2 was the second of the surviving three. Minor deformations included spinal ridges and plates that had to be surgically altered and a mutant muscular system that was difficult to control but provided a strength ratio 6 times greater than a normal humans. Overall, Number 2 was a glowing success genetically, one that could never be repeated. Stronger, Faster, and unbelievable resilient. He was sent on to phase 2 of the program. Psychological engineering. 

Starting at the age of 6 months, Number 2 was subjected to a series of psychological trauma events designed to cause Multiple Personality Disorder(MPD) or Disassociative Identity Disorder(DID).   
The goal was to create one personality that would exist as normal, peaceful, person with an activist streak that would cause him to come into conflict with an Communist government in the event of the Communist take over of America. This was considered the BIRTH persona, named Michael Joseph Nicholas. 

The designed Alter, the other personality would be a fearless super soldier capable of starting and waging a war against the government of a Communist America when set off by the attempt to kill the BIRTH personality. This Spoilsport persona was trained in a myriad of martial arts forms, All NATO and WARSAW pact small arms, adaptive military equipment motifs, in short… every manor of warfare from improvised guerilla tactics to running a nuclear submarine. Further more, Spoilsport was trained to kill without hesitation. At the age of 3 1/2 Spoilsport was already being pitted against trained military personal with live ammunition. 

At 13 Michael's parents learned of this psychological abuse. They threatened to go public unless Michael was allowed to leave the program. Since the termination of his parents might damage Michael/Spoilsport, and the data on how his full integration into society was deemed useful, Michael and his parents were allowed to leave the program, but kept track of. 

Michael's father was Ex-NSA/CIA. In an effort to prepare his son for possible future problems he might encounter due to his unique background, Michael's father began training Michael as a soldier and teaching him all his NSA/CIA tricks. This information being introduced to the Michael psyche caused a partial integration of the personalities. Michael began to remember knowledge that only Spoilsport had while not being aware of the Spoilsport Identity. This form of Co-Consciousness served to defuse Spoilsport somewhat. 

In 1989 after the fall of the Berlin wall, and collapse of communism, Operation Spoilsport came under strict review behind closed doors. In 1993 Operation Spoilsport was reclassified from a national defense system to a national threat. An executive order was given to reassign all essential personnel, and terminate all nonessential personnel as well as the Spoilsport device it self. Terminations included Michael's parents and were carried out days before Christmas that year. Michael's mother was assassinated in front him while they were shopping for gifts. The severe psychological trauma of watching his mother's head explode in front of him caused Michael to trigger and become Spoilsport. The defusing effect of his fathers training caused the personas to switch back and forth wildly until finally breaking into a third HOST personality altogether having all the knowledge of both personas, but no real memories of his own. Michael's father was killed in front him 2 days later. 

The new Michael receded into a submerged alter that has never taken control again but occasionally acts as the new HOST personalities conscience by giving him memories of his better times. All the good and innocence in the original Michael was isolated into this quite alter. 

Spoilsport lost all the discipline of his military creation and was redefined as self destructive, nightmarish killing monster that tortures the new HOST personality with visions of the pain and suffering of his Spoilsport childhood. Spoilsport seizes control in situation where the HOST is pushed to the limits of pain, endurance, or blind hate. 

The new HOST personality remained for the most part unnamed, partly by choice, but also because he was being hunted as a national security risk. Having no memories he was forced to start from scratch in developing a personality. Falling on his CIA/NSA knowledge handed down to him by his father, he began creating pseudo identities. There were not alternate personalities, but fake ID's with credit back grounds and made up histories. Never settling on a name of his own he would simply switch from character to character depending on what state he is in, and what mission objective he had. 

The HOST, with Spoilsport's constant prodding, decided that his new mission was to stop the kind of unethical research that created him. He determined that his very creation was un-American and decided that the America he was born to protect and restore was gone. The best defense being a good offense, he began to hunt down his creators and kill them, brutally, along with any one working with them. While the psychological engineers were left to fend for them selves, the geneticists were hidden and protected as much as the government could from their killing machine run amok. Soon just knowing some one who worked on Spoilsport was deemed a death sentence. As his slash and burn mission progressed he branched out into higher-ups in government and even foreign powers that were working on unethical genetics programs. Any super soldier program, any program he felt was geared to making slaves of regular people, or any violation against constitutional rights could make you fair game for Spoilsport. 

All the while the HOST was either stealing or destroying any research on his existence. As facts about the project became harder to find, and people began denying any connection to it, or even it's existence, Spoilsport quickly became the boogieman of the genetic engineering community, and bad word. 

By 1998, the whole program had become a whispered myth, and an urban legend with only a few people being privy to the remaining facts on it. Spoilsport was no longer hunted, but had become hunter. 

At this point the HOST began to cut back on his destructive quest, and concentrated on trying to heal his own shattered mind. It was at this time he met two people who would change his life for the better and the worse.   
The first was an old friend from his childhood nicknamed Nub. Nub had been a rough street youth until suffering a severe head injury. When he awoke he was a different person. He and the HOST met again at a conference on MPD/DID and became friends, again. The new Nub had none of the street smarts of his childhood, but had become a wizard with computer and financial management. Together they built the HOST's Fake Identities and credit ratings into a loose, hard to track, multiple national corporate conglomerate. Every Identity became a small business. Every business fed of every other. Construction companies, computer sales, strip clubs. The two of them working in secret under assumed names soon had corporate empire that was totally disconnected. HOST had a safe haven in every state in the union, and a cash source he could tap.   
The next person was a woman. Kristen Ray. While researching his next target, disguised as a janitor, this crazy woman who was protesting the genetic engineering of foods confronted HOST. When security came in to beat down and remove them, HOST quit his cover job and helped he fight off the security forces. The two became quick friends. She was as crazy and full of herself as she could be, and she never held back at anything. Friendship became love and the two of them took on the system as partners, friends, lovers, and in 1999, after revealing all his secrets to her, man and wife. In 2000 she became pregnant. Six months later, she died of complication caused by the mutant unborn child who also died. At 32 he had a vasectomy to prevent this from ever happening again.   
After that there was nothing left but the work. He blamed himself and set out kill everything that he thought was wrong in the world. There was no compassion or humanity left in him. If he couldn't have a semi-normal life NO ONE COULD. He began playing groups against each other, and charging for terminations. He also began facing a new generation of genetically engineered and enhanced humans as well as other things. 

In 2009, he was going about his regular business, ripping off a Domestic Terrorist Group called Freedoms Reign of a nuke they planned to use on Chicago. It was after betraying the group and stealing the nuke that he heard about the escape of 12 children from a black-op project called Manticore. It struck a cord in him. They were children like he was. Tortured. Enslaved. Forced to be something they never wanted too. But what if they too like him? Monsters. Killers. Boogiemen in little packages. They were thousands of miles away. Hiding and running. Even if he wanted to, he could never find them all. But he could change the world… to let them escape. He freed the remainder of Freedoms Reign and with them devised and executed a plan that would detonate the nuke he stole in a low orbit over America. With one swift blow he could give them the chance they needed to get away… and break the electronic collars that were being used to enslave his nation. 

Although it almost killed him, and resulted in plummeting America into the Dark Ages, the Pulse was a triumph over the status quo. There was no one left to protect the innocent, but there was no one left to protect the guilty either. 

Having advanced knowledge of what was going to happen, He and Nub had diverted most of his funds abroad, investing in foreign companies he knew would make a fortune in America was chaos. He emerged from the chaos a secret billionaire. In the years since the pulse he half heartedly searched for the lost 12, while using his power, influence, and the occasional massacre to become a thorn in the side to Manticore and an any one else who didn't do things the American way. 

He killed his first X-5 in Rome after the young man assassinated the newly ordained Pope. 

He finally found his first Lost Manticore when he approached Seattle's elite criminal element to kill Eyes Only. He had targeted Logan Cale because of he was researching Manticore and other black op genetic projects that had all seemed to have made Seattle their base of operations in the last few years. When he realized Cale was actually helping and protecting Theta 26. AKA Max. He switched side and executed his employers. It was then he adopted the name Tread, after the old revolutionary war motto and flag, Don't Tread On Me, who's symbol was a coiled Rattle snake. He now makes Seattle his base of operations. 

Logan and Max want to save the world, the good part of it. Tread wants to destroy the world, the bad part of it. 

Is he a hero or villain. Only history will decide. 

Fighting Style: While being a skilled martial artist, he still uses his genetically enhanced muscle for most fights. He's also no stranger to fire arms and prides him self on his one shot per kill ratio. An absolute master of modern guerilla warfare he can put together weapons of death from event he most benign and commonly available products. Not one to use stealth he prefers to eliminate all witnesses. 

Genetic Flaws/Features:   
Every year and a half or so, he goes into hibernation for anywhere from 1 to 6 months (dependant on health) and sheds his skin. During hibernation he can regenerate limbs to an extant. Fingers and toes grow back no problem; a hand or arm might take 4 to 5 years to be replaced. If he's in hibernation too long though, he'll starve to death.   
His body makes a form of HIV that only affects him as part of a built in genetic self-destruct. Every 3 years must undergo a hypothermia treatment to clear his blood of the virus. Hibernation makes the HIV worse because while as his body heals, it produces more of the virus.   
He has a mutant muscular system that is similar to a large snake like an anaconda. This makes him stronger than just about anything out there, but he can break his own bone if he isn't careful.   
He can see in infrared. But his super eyesight is going, so it's blurry now.   
He's nearsighted. Used to be able to see for miles, but old age is a terrible thing.   
He's Type II diabetic. Treats it with pills and diet.   
He's dyslexic. Compensates by reading forward and backward, but don't ask him Right from Left. 

Weakness: If you do manage to trap him, he'll become Spoilsport and kill everyone. Enemies, friends, himself if that's what it take to win. 

Greatest Achievements: Freedom. The Pulse! Setting up a huge loosely connected multinational multicorp to fund his war effort. 

Favorite possessions:   
A vintage 1997 Harley Davidson Fat Boy Motorcycle.   
A key chain made from 14 (and rising) USED neural implants from South African RED Disposables.   
A Barcode tattoo from the X-5 that killed the Pope. 

**____________________________________________________________________**

**Point of View: ZACK **************************************

As I was heading to Logan's I got to thinking how max was gonna react.   
What would I tell her? Its not like I didn't tell her to be mean it was for her protection. I got to Logan's building I looked around and went to the ally. I jumped from walk way to walk way till I got to his window. I sat for a minute waiting for Logan to get home. Logan walked in with Tinga and Max so I decided to slip through the window.   
I approached Logan, Max, and Tinga, with a grin on Max's face I knew she wasn't happy with me. I look at max and grin a bit. 

"your probably wondering why I haven't contacted you"   
  
looking at max and waiting for her to say something I knew she must have been upset. 

**Point of View: TINGA **************************************

Zack's here. And totally ignoring me. As usual. In favor of Max. I glance over at her, red haze starting to fill my vision and murderous intentions toward Zack start dancing in my head. As we make eye contact, suddenly the years start to fall away and we're in that weird instant-communication lock. 

An evil grin starts to spread on my face. It's mirrored on my sister's. I know what we're going to do. We're going to teach our brother a lesson. I quirk an eyebrow at her, asking a question. She gives the vaguest of nods in answer. 

In unison, we turn to our brother the despot. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Logan hastily backing away. He rolls into Bling, who is coming around the corner. If anything my grin widens. 

Zack doesn't get it. He's standing there, staring at Max. Inwardly I shake my head. He's in severe need of an attitude adjustment, some serious reminders of the sibling we are. I circle around behind him while Max pouts at him. "Oh, Zackie," she cooed. "I don't think you get it yet." I grab his arms in a sudden move. Zack tries to look at me, stunned. He turns back to Max as she speaks. "Keep this up," she said, punctuating it with a punch to the face, "//We// won't //care// to have contact with you." She follows this up with a beaut of a cross to the solar plexus, putting her whole body into it. 

Zack's breath huffs out of him in a rush. He starts really struggling now, trying all the tricks. He manages to get me with a head butt. He always did have a hard head. I released him in order to inspect the damage. 'My face is my fortune,' as they say. He jabs out at Max, a good connection, and, while I'm still stunned and anxiously fingering tender skin, he spins around, traveling forward a bit, and kicks me in the back, sending me sprawling. I flip up as he knocks Max down hard, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her head back. 

"Is this how they taught you? To attack your own?" he asks. She's struggling to get up but he's managing to hold on to her. He shoves her across the room, and she lands with a thud against the wall, stunned. I launch myself at him. Big mistake. He catches me and checks me into the floor, placing a boot on my neck. I can tell he's watching Max, but I know his next words are to me. "And you. Every time you set up in a city, you do it so well I think that //this// time, I won't have to sweat bullets wondering if you're going to get killed. And then you get bored. And then you get sloppy. And then you come running to me." I cringe, knowing it's true. I try to look at Max, who is warily circling. We lock eyes again for a split second, and I nod briefly at the message I see there. 

Zack's still talking. I think he's finally lost it. Or at least reached the end of his patience. "You two have cost me more nights of worry, more individual attention than the other nine combined. //YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANY MORE!// We have bigger concerns--" 

Jointly, we attack. I shift subtly under Zack, making him focus on me, while my darling sis slams him in the back. In the precise point, in fact, that I nailed him earlier. He grunts in pain. I shift and break free, springing to my feet. Max is already showering him with quick, hard blows. I follow with a few well placed kicks. Zack is actually looking like this is penetrating his defenses and maybe even causing some real pain. 

Good. We turn down the action a bit, glancing at each other. I see a wicked gleam in my sister's eye, know exactly what she's thinking. My grin widens, and we move. 

**Point of View: MAX **************************************

It's time we taught Zack a lesson. We're not the others, we're not   
barcodes, we're us. He still sees us as the little kids we were at Manticore. We've grown up, but he hasn't. 

Logan's watching us in horror, as if we've turned feral. But he's also amused, seeing Zack get what's coming to him. 

I catch Tinga's grin. We've given Zack a good beating, and received a good one in return. But it's time for the final payback. 

"Gee, Zack, remind us again about how lucky we are to have you,"   
I sneer sarcastically. 

"Max, Tinga, quit it!" He's getting pissed. No more snappy remarks. 

"What, no more Manticore wit?" I taunt. 

"You two are going to attract the attention of the security guards. Do you really wanna do that?" 

I nod at Tinga. "Whaddya say we finish this?" 

She smiles. "Sure thing, sis." 

Tinga propels herself onto Zack's shoulder's, wrapping her legs around his neck, covering his eyes. I lash out with my foot and kick him in the chest, causing him to double over. Tinga uses the momentum to flip herself off of his shoulders, and throwing him into the coffee table, smashing it. I'll look for a replacement on the black market. 

Zack lays among the remains of the table, shocked. We smirk. "Here, bro, have a gummie," I say, dumping most of the bag's contents on his face. 

**Point of View: LOGAN **************************************

I thought the fight between Tinga and Zack was something. Until I saw two Manticores tag-teaming another. 

Remind me to never, ever, get Max mad at me. 

She dumps the gummies on Zack's face and instinctively, he swallows. 

Instinct? That's the last instinct a soldier should have. What did they do to him, when he was back at Manticore? The way Tinga and Max reacted to him, that was no sibling rivalry. 

They sensed an enemy. 

And as they watch, and wait, Zack lies on the ground with the gummies working into his system. His eyes roll back, and shut, and his body goes slack. 

Bling runs forward to check his pulse, his breathing, and looks up at me. 

"I guess we've established the effect of Manticorny on a real Manticore," he says. 

I wait. Max and Tinga are still poised, panting. 

"Instant coma." 

**Point of View: BRINN **************************************

Those little gummies were a genius idea. I can't believe that Zack actually swallowed them. But then again he always did have a oral fixation. 

I'm watching everyone from above, looking down on them like the little bugs they are. Max and Tinga think they've gotten rid of the enemy. 

Let them feel a false sense of security. They have no idea what's coming . . . . 

**Point of View: TREAD **************************************

I'm coming… 

The wind rips over my peach fuzz hair. I love the cold biting at me as my 97 Harley Davidson roars along the road outside Seattle. It's a refreshing change from hell I've been through this month. 

It all started when I got word that one of my companies that manufactures a chemical agent used in isolating genetic material got a large order. That's what I own them for. The Government may do a lot of under the table stuff, but they still buy from the parts they use from outside vendors. I followed that shipment to Louisiana. I didn't kill anyone there.   
Ever since that mix up with Logan and Max I've tried to cut down on the homicide. I wonder if Logan has forgiven me for trying to kill him yet. Max seemed to come around a little and I put a lot more hurt on her. But he was my real target… well… I WAS going to kill them both. What a wake up call for me. I've become so obsessed with hunting bad gene jockeys I almost killed two people I think I like. 

Oh well, standard first impression for me... BAD. I'll grow on them. 

From Louisiana I followed the trail to a world of nothing in Oklahoma just outside a place called Wheeless. I discovered that they were isolating recombinant DNA that had been extracted from one of the Escaped Manticore kids. Theta-03, Barcode 330417291599. Wish I knew what he called himself. By the time I tracked them down and got there they had encoded the memory into a virus that they hoped could survive being placed into food supplements. 

You would think after I Pulse their asses in 09' they would let up on trying to enslave the world, BUT NO! They go right on trying. This is bad on 2 levels, first they hurt one of the free Manticore kids to do this… Second, they're using genetics to try and manipulate the people of MY COUNTRY. Naturally I show up only after they ship the first truck load to the test city… Of course in the Heart land war zone everything is like Mad Max… so some idiots hijacked the shipment and evidently it ended up in Seattle. 

Seattle again! Why Seattle has become the Gene splicing capital of the U.S. is beyond me. I really admire Max for standing her ground there. It's a too soon to tell her that. Especially after trying to kill her and all, but 10 years ago when I set off the Pulse I was worried I let a bunch of monsters loose onto the world. Instead, I find her in the family business of stomping evil doers. She and Logan are so… so much better people than I am. I just hope they don't connect me to the Pulse before… I have a chance to explain… to show them… there was no other way. 

Ah who am I kidding. 8 million people died from Pulse related complications. Hitler only caused 11 million deaths over 6 years, and he had one of the best Armies in History. I'm a f*cking monster just like I was built to be. I hope those [bast@rds][3] who conjured me in the lab are in hell right now wishing they wished more carefully. 

I slaughtered everyone in the OK research facility. Gene jockeys want to make slaves… they answer to Spoilsport. I took what research I could gather and now… Seattle here I come. I just hope I'm not to late. 

I slow down pull up to a Sector Police barricade. I hate cops. They're always so crooked. They've always been crooked even pre-pulse. But now they're blatant about it. 

Well, this is Max and Logan's town. I better play nice. I have no ID. But hopefully cash will work. 

"Howdy officer!" Big Smile now… be pleasant! "How's your day going?" 

"Like crap… get off the bike and get your hands against the wall." 

So much for nice. 

**Point of View: NORMAL **************************************

I returned to Jam Pony to find the whole center in shambles. "Oh god! what...what's going on?" I scream looking at packages piling up. I turn to face the riders who have know stopped their horseplay.   
  
"You! where is everyone? and why aren't you working?" I asked. 

"Well...you...see..." said a rider.   
  
"Never mind I don't have time for this. All of you line up right now! I'll give you your assignments!" I yelled at them as I walked around to the back of the counter. "Here you take this to the New Asian art museum in View Ridge. Don't just stand there looking at the package! Go! Go! Go!...you next!.." I ordered the riders for the next fifteen minutes as I began to sort all the incoming and out going packages.   
"Where's Sketchy and Cindy? huh?" I asked with my face still glued to the computer. 

**Point of View: LOGAN **************************************

Bling grabs Zack from the floor and moves him to a table. "We're either going to have to get him to a hospital..." 

Max and Tinga protest. Loudly. 

"Fine. I'll see what kind of doctor I can track down, and some medical equipment. We'll keep him in the penthouse until we figure out what effect this will have on him, long term. But you know you're taking a chance." 

"It's a chance we'll have to take," Tinga says, fixing her hair. Max agrees, although she looks less happy than Tinga about it. 

Suddenly there's a lurch, everyone's thrown to the floor. It feels like the entire world is shifting around us. An earthquake in Seattle? Or something else?

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com
   [3]: mailto:bast@rds



	7. Normal

# Author's Note: We had a couple of questions in our feedback.

# 

# Where did we come up with Manticorny?Well, this is the 2nd RPG.The first one quickly got out of control, as every player insisted on being an X5, and being in the middle of major action at all times. When we closed it and started the new RPG, we were satirizing the first.Therefore, we needed something that made every normal average person think they were a battling X5.

# 

# Why did Max and Tinga turn on Zack so quickly?We don't really know.Zack somehow escaped from Manticore.Max and Tinga instinctively saw him as "bad," without knowing why.They went with that gut reaction and took him down.

# 

# We still need writers to play Det. Sung, Sketchy, Normal, and any kind of bad guy you like. Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages][1] for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2].

**Point of View: NORMAL ******************************* **

"I remember why I don't take sick days. If this is the kind of mess created with my short absence then I may never get a vacation." I thought to myself as I continued sorting through all the packages and fielding all the calls. Somehow all the priority stuff got thrown in the back. I had a good guess that it had something to do with Sketchy and his horse play again. 

"Hey where the fire truck is Max?" I asked one of the riders. All I got was a shrug. Sometimes I've gotta wonder if she works here or just passing through. If she wasn't the fastest rider I have I would've canned her by now. 

A elegant looking woman came up to my counter as I was still sifting through a few messages. She looked at me strangely. 

"Excuse me. You needed something?" I asked the lady. 

"Well after you left I remembered that we hadn't exchanged numbers. I wanted to thank you again for helping me." said the woman holding her a small chow-chow. 

"Aaah...umm...I helped you? today?...I guess we can exchange numbers. My name is Normal by the way." I said extending my hand and looking for a piece of paper to write on. She shook my hand and smiled. It lifted my heart with the day I was having. 

"Oh! here's a piece of paper...here's my number" I said to her as I handed her over the note. She in turn wrote don her number in my still out stretched hand and gave me a wink and walked out the door. As I   
broke out of my momentary daze at having a beautiful woman signing my hand she turned back and said to call her Patricia. 

"Patricia...I'll..call you!" I said out loud as the riders stopped and peered up at me from their lockers. 

"Do that!" she said back and continued on her way out. 

I wonder what I did to warrant her attention as a call interrupted my thoughts. "Hello! Jam Pony...We serve Greater Seattle...Okay..got..it...yes we can have it delivered in time...sure no problem.." I answered the caller typing in the data. 

"You get over here! take this to the corner of Market and 24th avenue. A man will give you some instructions when you get there. Follow them carefully...got it?...Hello! got it?" I yelled and then all the lights flicker off and the ground seemed to tremble. 

"Oh! God! it's the big one!" I screamed ducking beneath the counter.   
"Everyone get under something. Now!" I ordered holding my knees close to my chest. 

**Point of View: SKETCHY *********************************

(max,max,max,objctives.....sister,manticore,x5,lydeker,what the hell?......Max my sister? I don't think so I've only got an older brother, Lydeker my brother? Max............sh*t, I don't feel to good I gotta sit down...)Oo 

"Cindy ,hold up I don't feel so good!!"I yelled. 

(oh no not this feeling again.........there go the lights,damn)Oo   
CRASH!!!!!!!!   
  
I came off my bike pretty hard but the excruciating pain in my head cancelled what the body registered.   
Flashbacks from the' Seattle Psychiatric Institute Summer of Love ' came flooding back harder and faster than ever before, the pain I knew all to well, a little reminder of the months being used as a human test subject for mulitstimulants and Cycloxaphen a Morphine derivative drug now used to control the moods of "Psychoactive High Risk Patients" which I didn't mind at the time cos I was making some serious" cha ching"for doing the experiments. 

The pain in my head was slowly subsiding but the impact of the fall was now setting in. 

It felt like an eternity had passed by the time I got to my feet but it had only been a matter of minutes.   
Cindy helped me to my feet asking "are you alright,what happened??"   
"boy I wish I knew?" as I stood there trying to recollect what the hell had happened. 

My accident had drawn a crowd, Cindy was yelling at people to' back off!!!' ya got to love that girl she can be so protective sometimes.   
People were still 'freaking'out like their on bad acid, my brain was throbbing still but the body hurt more.   
Felling kinda disorientated and blank I asked where we were, Cindy told me that we on our way to meet max at the crash again and that she's got more information that she didn't have the last time we met.   
She's found out from Logan what's causing the madness that's madness that's taken over the city. 

Cindy was hassel'n me telling me my fall had something to do with ' gummies', I told Cindy she was crazy and just passed it off as a Caffeine O.D ,I had acquired some whole beans form a friend of a friend that came from Africa, Cindy was looking pretty worried.   
I told her that" I might of had one beans to many this morning. "and not to worry coz" Sketchy's got it sorted" 

"It might have something to do with the 'gummies' that everyone's been eating?" Cindy said with a concerned look on he face. 

"what?" I said ,looking puzzled. 

"Ya know ,the gummies you were eating back at jampony"Cindy reached in to her bag and pulled out a small bag of colorful sweets "These one's" she said.   
  
"hey they look nice, can I have one" 

"Yeah right, I don't thing so sweetness" 

"you were eating these at jampony when we left ,remember" 

''Nope , I don't remember eating any of those" Cindy looked at me blankly rolled her eyes and said" arhhhh......never mind lets get going we might miss boo if we don't hurry and get to the Crash..." 

**Point of View: MAX *********************************

The ground is shaking beneath us, forcing me to forget about the consequences of getting Zack to the hospital or not. An earthquake? It's almost impossible. I don't believe there are any fault lines under us. 

As the shaking continues, Tinga is thrown into Bling's arms and they both tumble to the ground. Glass shatters as things crash to the floor. Logan's wheelchair tips, and as I reach out to stop it, I'm thrown into his lap. 

That's when the shaking stops. 

"Hey," he says softly, looking right at me with that look that stops my breath. 

But then Tinga screams. We turn to look and see that a large shard of glass has lodged itself in Zack's leg and he's bleeding profusely. 

**Point of View: NORMAL *********************************

"Hello?...yes...no..call back later!" I said yelling into the phone as the ground trembled again. "I knew it was a bad sign when a woman comes and asks me out but this is insane! Oh...that woman she may still be out there..." I pondered. I got up from underneath the counter and looked around to see small cracks in the walls but nothing serious yet. Most of the riders were huddled together underneath the tables and benches. 

"You! your in charge until I get back!" I said pointing to the nearest one. A small moan escaped from the riders lips. "Close enough." I said as I walked carefully around the counter. I nearly lost my balance as another tremor rolled past. 

"Gosh darn! this is Seattle not California what's going on?" I raged as I took in the sight of pedestrians running around looking for shelter. 

"Get down man it's finally happening the aliens...they're attacking! If your smart you'll get out of Seattle man!" screamed a dark haired male lunatic in a grey raincoat. 

"Get away from me!" I said pushing the man off as he tried to grasp my shoulder. 

The woman was no where in sight I had to hope she was alright I thought as I looked left and right of the block. 

"Woof...woof...woof.." came a barking sound from underneath a nearby car. I leaned down to see what was making the noise and spotted the dog that the woman had in her arm when she left but there were no signs of her. I tried to grab the dog but it bit me. "Why you little..." I mumbled at the dog. "I'm just trying to get you back to your owner." I said trying to reason with the animal. Why not? after all I spend most days trying to reason with Sketchy. 

The dog made a break for a nearby alley as I tired to grab for it again. 

"Just isn't my day." I thought running after it. 

**Point of View: LOGAN *********************************

Tinga is screaming and Bling sits, stunned, for a second, holding on to her. Then both scramble up and swing into action. Max watches for another instant and then jumps up to help. 

Maybe someday I'll get her on my lap and keep her there for more than ten seconds, but the middle of a tremor probably isn't the right time. I find myself wondering if Bling's thinking the same thing about Tinga. 

The three are putting their training in field medicine to good use. Bling tears up his T-shirt for a tourniquet, and then the rest as a bandage once the glass is removed. The bleeding slows, but from the looks of the floor he lost a hell of a lot. 

Bling looks at me. "Between the coma and the bleeding, we're going to have to take a chance on getting him into a hospital. They should be packed, maybe no one will notice the...discrepancies...in his physiology. And once we get hold of some blood and IV fluids, we'll get him back out." 

Max and Tinga look at each other, judging whether or not to protest. I decide for them. 

"Bling, Tinga, you get Zack into the car. I'm going with you, let's see who I can talk into seeing him quickly. And who I can pay off to let him out with a few pieces of extra equipment. Max, you stay here. You have the passwords, get online and see if you can find out what the hell caused these tremors." 

Max doesn't look happy. "Logan, I told Cindy I'd go back to Crash and meet her." 

I've had enough for one day. "Max, I don't give a damn. Do whatever you want here but don't leave this apartment and that's final." 

Max looks stunned. I feel terrified. I can't believe I just gave a super-soldier an ultimatum. She may let me live, but I'm not hopeful. 

Max narrows her eyes. "I'll see what I can do." 

I don't dare argue any further. I head down to the car to meet Tinga and Bling. 

**Point of View: MAX *********************************

I'm being punished. Logan is punishing me by putting me out of action because he's mad at me for what Tinga and I did to Zack. Zack deserved what he got, and in a way, I deserve this, too. 

This fact does little to assuage my anger. Does Logan think that because I'm part of Eyes Only that he can order me around? I wish I knew what went on with that man. Does he see me as a weapon or as a woman? 

I'm also majorly afraid for Zack. Tinga and I were fed up with his antics, but if he dies because of that stupid piece of glass . . . well, he's still my brother, and right now I'm feeling major guilt. 

Logan, Bling, and Tinga have left with Zack, and I'm curled up in Logan's desk chair. It's not as comfortable as his lap, but . . . . 

My pager beeps. It's Cindy. I dial the number and can picture her snatching the phone off the hook as it rings. 

"Max? Where are you?" she demands. 

"Logan's. He's got me under house arrest." 

"Sorry Boo. Look, Sketchy's a little disoriented, so I'm taking him home. Want me to come by after?" 

"Sure." Good, a visitor. 

"Aiight, be there soon." She hangs up. 

Logan wants me to find the cause of the tremors. Ok, fine. It'll give me something to do until Cindy arrives. There's not much. Everyone is as surprised as we were. 

Then something pops up. An explosion . . . . apparently, Manticorny gummies are highly unstable in the formation process. 

**Point of View: LYDECKER *********************************

I watch quietly from the shadows and frown, this wasn't supposed to happen. I mean sure! they're trained to kill! but not each other. I would of thought Tinga would be better, I guess she proved me wrong. 

Crouching in a dark corner, I watch Max spin around in circles on a swivel chair. Mr. Cale has her trained like a pet dog, I sneer. My feet are stiff from crouching for to long and I wobble. Max catches the movement and looks into the shadows, straight into my eyes, she blinks and I'm gone. 

The look of fear on her face makes me smile. I c0ck my gun as I walk out of the building, my long coat flying behind me. I tip my hat at a cute blonde that walks by. I hope into a black Durango and leave. 

**Point of View: MAX *********************************

Lydecker.   
  
He's here. 

And he knows where to find me. 

At Logan's. 

Damn. 

I'm going to have to leave the city, go far away. But I can't leave Logan unprotected. Chances are Lydecker knows Tinga's here too. I have to warn her. 

Scribbling a note for Cindy, I leave and head for the hospital. The streets are full of Manticorny addicts, but out there one of them is the real thing. 

A part of my brain wonders if Zack had anything to do with it. There's been something not quite right with him. 

How am I going to tell Tinga that she has to leave, now that she's gotten comfortable here? How can I tell Logan? 

It's now or never, I tell myself, because I've reached the hospital. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	8. Blood

Author's Note: the roles of Zack, Det

Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. 

We still need writers to play Zack, Det. Sung, Sketchy, Normal, and any kind of bad guy you like.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages][1] for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2].

Character bio: Lacey McGee is a tabloid news reporter. She is a contemporary of Logan Cale's, and attended several college classes with him. While she maintains a certain professional "relationship" with Logan, secretly she knows he can't stand her and tries to avoid her as much as possible, partially due to the "shady" journalism she produces. She plays ignorant of this because Cale is a supremely good contact to have, and she can usually annoy some assistance out of him. Additionally, while he might not respect her stories and the paper that publishes them, she has always been careful about her accurracy, instead, using the slant of the words to lend a sensationalism to the otherwise boring stories. She has never been sued for libel, although she has received many death threats from irate subjects. She is a stunningly beautiful, vaguely ethnic (partial Polynesian ancestry) woman with long, dark hair and warm skin tones. ****

_______________________________________________________________

Point of View: LACEY ******************************** 

This has been just about the most frustrating week of my entire life. 

I'm sitting on top of the story of a lifetime, I just know it. And I can't get through enough of the craziness to get it to make sense. Fragments of stories, pieces of puzzles that may or may not fit together...I usually love it when the story is like this, all new and ready to be explored, but I can usually find the answers then, too. This just makes no sense. 

I look out at the explosion site. South Market, now smoking black hole in the ground. Tons of loss of life, tons more injuries. The hospitals are going to be swamped. The center of the mess seems to be the warehouse district. I wonder what was stored there. There's been a craziness on the streets, my bet is a new type of hallucinogen drug. Could the explosion be tied to the drug? I have to find out. 

Carefully I pick my way through the rubble. In the old days, there would be police all over the place, keeping people back. Now it's just a matter of finding the spots they miss. 

I'm near the worst of the debris, carefully poking through the pieces and pocketing an item or two that looks like a clue to the cause. Again, in the old days, that would be hindering an investigation at the least. Thank God those days are over. 

Pain suddenly explodes through my head. I fall, twisting, and see one of the hordes of homeless reaching for my bag. I fight, but weakly. Everything's spinning. He grabs the camera and my tech equipment - to fence, I'm sure. Damn. I try to stand but everything spins. I hear a shout in the distance and the homeless guy scurries off. Struggling, I feel my stomach lose the fight with the spins. 

Hands reach for me, gently feeling for injuries. I moan when they near the spot on my head where the thief cracked me one. "We got a live one here!" a voice yells. "Stupid skank," he mutters. "You weren't here when it happened. Should be smarter than to go poking around." As he speaks I can feel him administering first aid, but my attention wanders in and out. I don't remember much of the ride to the hospital, but I do remember seeing that I was right. They are swamped. 

A concussion is pretty low on the triage list, but eventually I make it to the exam room. The doc has just begun examining me when activity bustles in, a big, bald black man carrying a big, blonde man. My vision is still swimming but the next person looks like Logan? And a very worried, very angry looking woman. The doc instantly moves to the unconscious and bleeding man. 

"Logan?" I ask. He spins so fast it's almost comical...if it didn't add to my own discomfort. "Lacey, hi," he said in that tone. That "what's the quickest way to blow her off?" tone. I try to remember the last time I heard any other tone from him, then give it up as a bad bet. "You O.K.?" 

"Another whack on the back of this hard head," I respond. "Your friend going to be O.K.?" I see an odd flicker of emotion cross his face. 

"I hope so," he said, sounding about as enthusiastic as he does when faced with me. "Excuse me." He turns back to the others. I can hear him murmuring to the black man, but I can't make out the words...the spins get more vicious and suddenly I'm drifting off... 

**Point of View: LOGAN **********************************

If I could pick one person I didn't want to run into right now...well, it might not be Lacey, but she'd be pretty high on the list. Just what I need, a tabloid reporter who's good enough to get the facts, and bad enough to spill them when she shouldn't. At least she's unconscious. 

The doctors turn from Lacey to Zack. She's stable, he's not. Fortunately, at this point they're attributing the unconsciousness to loss of blood and possible head trauma. With any luck, they'll get him patched up faster than they get his test results. Then we can get him back out, with a few medical accessories, before they start asking questions. 

"We've got the bleeding stopped," the doctor tells us. "I'm going to take him up to X-ray now, while you go fill out his paperwork. Someone will tell you when we find a bed for him." 

An assistant begins wheeling Zack from the room and Tinga, looking panicked, starts to follow. Bling grabs her arm--brave man--and pulls her back. He tells her something, quietly, and she nods. 

We head out to the crowded waiting room. 

"I saw the building blow," a woman with a blackened face tells her neighbor, who's cradling a broken arm. "A big bang, smoke, that's all I remember." 

An explosion. Not an earthquake at all. What could explode with enough force to rock an entire city? 

Bling has grabbed some paperwork from the front desk, and with Tinga's assistance is writing a suitably creative history for Zack. 

"I'm going to call Max," I tell them, "See if she's found out anything more about this explosion." 

Tinga nods, muttering something about previous injuries and scribbling on the sheet. 

I find a relatively quiet corner and dial my home phone, getting the machine. Max doesn't pick up. I dial her pager and ten minutes later there's still no response. 

Should have known she wouldn't stay put. 

**Point of View: MAX **********************************

I've been extremely careful to make sure that Lydecker hasn't followed me. I can't lead him to an unconscious Zack, not to mention Logan, Bling, and Tinga. 

Tinga. I just found her and now we might have to split up. Life is unfair. 

The emergency room is a mess. Nurses and doctors running everywhere. People who aren't bleeding are waiting for someone to come a long and give them a five minute check over. The people who are bleeding are being dealt with as best as possible. 

"We're out of AB pos," one nurse says just as she collides with me. She hadn't been watching where she was going, and frankly, neither was I. "Miss, unless you are bleeding, you have to wait over there," she dismisses me. 

"I don't need a doctor," I tell her, "I'm looking for a friend." 

"Sorry, can't help you." She sizes me up, "What blood type are you?" 

I'll bet she'd love to hear I'm a universal donor. 

"Max?!" Someone calls from behind me. I spin around. Logan. He's surprised to see me, but that surprise quickly fades into exasperation. "Where have you been? I called home, you were supposed to be there." 

There's a woman I don't recognize there next to him. Seeing me stare at her, he introduces her. "Max, this is Lacey McGee, an old, er, friend." 

Oooh. An old friend. I see. 

"Where have you been?" he repeats. 

"Look, Logan, now's not the time, okay? We've got a problem." 

"What? Did you find out the cause of the explosion?" Lacey leans in, an interested look on her face. She looks like a vulture. She must be a reporter. 

"Manticorny gummies are unstable," I say, "But the thing is . . . " 

A nurse finds her way to us, "Excuse me, but did you come in with the blond man who had a leg wound?" 

"Yes," Logan answers, "What is it?" 

"He's lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion. We're extremely low on blood reserves, so I need to know if any of you can donate blood." 

Logan looks from me to Tinga and back to me. 

"I can't," Tinga cries, "How can he ask me to do that?" 

"I'm his sister," I say, "I'll do it." The hell with the consequences. Lydecker's already here. 

I look back at Tinga. She's sobbing. She's been hurt deeply by Zack, and I'm pissed at him for that. But he's still my brother. "I can't do it, I can't," she cries, "If he weren't unconscious, I'd kill him." 

The nurse looks stricken. "She's in shock," I hastily explain as Bling takes Tinga into a small closet to get some privacy and peace. 

I turn to Logan. "Lydecker's here, he knows I was at your place," I whisper, so that Lacey can't hear. Then I leave with the nurse for the transfusion. We walk about a hundred paces before the ground starts to shake again. 

**Point of View: LOGAN **********************************

I watch Max walk away, with a nurse who will take her blood. Blood that will be tested, putting her at risk of being identified as not quite human. 

Giving blood to help Zack. Who would take her away from me in an instant. 

After she came here to warn me about Lydecker. Who will chase her away from me even faster than Zack. 

Tinga and Bling are off in some closet, and I'm here alone watching Max walk away. 

The ground is shaking again and all I want to do is grab Max and take her as far from here as possible. And keep her there. With me. 

But I can't. She wouldn't go. So as soon as the world steadies I head for the front desk, to see if I can commandeer a computer and figure out what the hell is going on. 

**Point of View: JONDIE**********************************

I didn't recognize the man who had my arm in his grasp...but frankly I didn't need any help and the utter chaos was getting on my last nerve. I twisted his arm around his back and thrust him against the nearest wall. Then in one swift motion knocked him out. I dusted my hands off and felt satisfied..Zack always said I had a taste for the fight...as I was about to gather up my belongings something caught my eye. Slowly I knelt down. Some sort of pass was jutting out of his pocket. I picked it up cautiously..."Canale Candy Company." My eyebrows knitted together. What did that have to do with anything? I sighed, he was probably just part of the masses. However something made me hold onto the ID...call me paranoid...call me a packrat...but my intuition told me to keep it. I grabbed my bags, and of course my darling dog and left.   
---------------------   
hours later   
--------------------- 

It hadn't taken me long to check into a hotel, grab a bite to eat, and unpack. Seattle truly was a place of modern convenience, at least as modern as you can get during a depression, however it didn't really suit my tastes...there was something dreary about it...even in complete sunlight. Frustrated I decided to explore a bit...perhaps grab another bite to eat..those hotdogs down on the corner of 3rd and twenty 2nd were pretty darn good.   
----------------------   
current time   
---------------------- 

I had thought it was nothing at first, just my body being oversensitive...however I was wrong. The rumbling had taken over right as I bit into my second frankfurter..it consumed everything and everyone with fear and noise. I don't know how long the earthquake lasted I only knew it had come....Now, as I lay stiff, thoughts of the fallen rubble play over in my head. I must admit I have always been claustrophobic thanks to Manticore "water sessions," and the dusting of building materials around threw me into a state of panic. I was covered, bruised, bleeding, and hysterical...Frantically I clawed at the bits and fragments blocking my view. In the distant sirens cried...medics were on the way...blackness started taking over and I gave in.... 

When I came to I was in a hospital room. People were running about outside. I surveyed the damage...my arm was broken, and I had an assortment of cuts wrapped in bandaids and gauze. I stared at the ceiling...what a way to start off my first days in Seattle...I knew I didn't like this stupid city. Then my thoughts floated to my pet...I may obsess about him, but he was all I had...there were no friends, no family, not since I last argued with Zack. I had pretty much kept to myself...I guess because I've never really gotten past the fact that I'm a coward...I left Max in the water...I just left her. Shaking my head I tried to dwell on something else...I had never quite gotten rid of my guilt and I probably never would. I rolled over on my side to check out my unlucky roommate. He was unconscious...blond...there was something about his presence that was safe and familiar. I just laid there looking at him, lost in a state of nothingness..I didn't want to think..I just wanted to be..for the moment. 

**Point of View: BRINN **********************************

The explosion came in very handy. Just like the C4 I'd stashed away for emergencies. The Canale Candy Company had outlived it's usefulness, so I blew it up. 

Some people were getting a little too close to the operation we had going. I distinctly remember a Logan Cale sniffing around candy companies that made gummies of any kind. Canale made gummies, but it was elsewhere that the 'Herbal' part was put in and they were stamped with the Manticorny label. 

The damage I've done is pretty impressive. Most of South Market, where Canale was located, is a charred shell of what was. 

Thing is, the explosion set of aftershocks. An undiscovered fault line lies beneath Seattle. More destruction. Something I like. 

"Blond male. Age 23," comes across my radio. I've been monitoring all coms since two hours before the explosion. Basic training. "Leg wound and head trauma," the voice continues. It's a medic at the hospital, reporting to the city rescue systems database. 

The database was created in 2011, to improve city wide emergency handling. 911 had been destroyed in the effects of the Pulse. The database required all cases to be called in, so that the city's disaster teams could recreate, with as much accuracy as possible, what had happened, so that they could better deal with it in the future. 

"Distinguishing marks," the medic continues, "a tattoo on the back of his neck. Looks like a barcode." 

Zack. 

Lydecker had said Max and Zack, and maybe even Tinga, were here in the city. He wants me to bring them back. 

I want to kill them. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	9. Hospital

Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers for Zack, Det. Sung, Sketchy, Normal, and any kind of bad guy you like.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: BLING ******************************************* 

Tinga went to pieces. I wouldn't have thought her the type. Evidently she's got feelings for Zack like he has for Max. Reminds me of a Greek tragedy. Either that or that "wutzhizname's Creek" show everyone watched when I was a kid. 

She's got her head in the back of the closet and she's sobbing as much as having a tantrum.   
Oddly, I feel a little jealous. But I can't be the voice of reason if I don't stay impartial. Plus Logan hasn't had the easiest of times with Max. Of course Logan is a stubborn idiot in major self-denial. I'm not. 

"That's the thing about strong emotions. They hurt no matter which way they go." I say to her. 

As I reach out to try and comfort her, the room starts to shake again. I loose my balance a little. I grab Tinga's shoulder to balance myself instead of comfort her. Right before the light bulb goes out I see Tinga spinning around and fist coming right at me…. 

**Point of View: LOGAN *********************************************

The tremors settle down again, leaving the masses in the waiting room even more disorganized than before. The lights flicker out. In a second the generators come on, powering the dimmer back-up lights. 

There's another crash, and the closet door comes flying out. Tinga disappears past me, heading out the front door into the street. 

Bling is on the floor, out cold. 

And my cel phone is ringing. The caller ID shows it's originating from my penthouse. 

I'm not usually the type to say this, but I need a drink. 

**Point of View: SKETCHY *******************************************

"Cindy don't worry bout me, get to Logan's and find Max, I've got to hightail it home to see if Natalie's ok!!" 

"Aiigt, I'll page you when I get to Logan's" 

"Sketchy!!" 

"Yo"? 

"be careful" 

"Aiight" I said ,just to be a smart a$$. 

I turned and left Original Cindy ,all I could think of was Natalie an if she was ok. I could only think the worst had happened to her ,what a day this was turning out to be.   
As I turned down 5th ave there was a crowd gathered watching something outside a building, I slammed on the brakes and slid the back tire round till I came to a stop, I balanced on my bike so I could see over the crowd, there was a breaking news story on a television set .   
I couldn't hear much of what was going on but could see the pictures of a huge blast site   
that were being broadcast by those flying police shotgun targets, the damage was massive ,I could see that it was in the south market area but still couldn't help thinking the worst for Natalie.   
The chaos in the streets was now even worse there were injured people ,crazy injured people running around, riding my bike now became twice as dangerous .   
I turned on the pace and raced down 5th ave like a madman(which I already knew) I even had to concentrate which was hard cos I don't do it often. Half way down 5th ave   
from out the corner of my I saw a dude come flying out of a ally with a big plank of wood c0cked up in the air ready to let go, I jammed on the anchors ,turning hard to the left to get the bike to slide and ploughed straight in to him.   
The bike took out his legs forcing him to do a forward flip and land with nasty thud, I've heard that sound before and knew instantly he wouldn't be getting up in a hurry. I thought' stuff this I'm not giving way to anyone!!' with that thought I was off like a flash   
some people got in my way but adopted a slalom method to get them out, id just lean out and push them out the way with my foot, crude but effective.   
As I approached my building I could see that there wasn't much damage that stopped me from thinking the worst for my baby. Jumping off my bike while I was still moving(a trick I learned from max just in case you have to get away from something or someone in a hurry) I landed running, entered the lobby and hit the elevator button, I heard a voice from behind say, 

"It 's not working ,the powers out"   
  
I turned and saw the old man from the first floor, I didn't know his name but I see him on the first floor every morning I leave to work. 

"Hey, thanks for that old timer" 

He just looked at me and nodded his head.   
I turned and ran for the stairwell ,the lights that lit it were all out and it was dark ,by the time I got to the 10th floor I felt like passing out, but managed to get my breath back, the damage to the building wasn't as bad as I thought it would be after seeing others on my way home. I managed to stumble down the hall to my door and banged on the door, it opened straight away, as soon as I saw Natalie I grabbed her and pulled her to me and gave her a kiss. 

"wow, what's up with you darlin' " 

"I thought you had been hurt or something ,Nat" 

"I'm fine ,I was worried about you, being on the streets with all the crazy things that have been happening" 

"Oh ,baby I was so scared that the worst had happened to you" 

"Hey ,why do you think I moved us to this building, I wasn't going to live in a building that wasn't quake proof, any way we hardly felt a thing and only a few things fell." 

"I knew there was a reason why I loved you Natalie'' 

Nat just smiled at me as I sat down half dead from the ride home. 

"oh s**t I left my bike down on the street" I got up and bolted back out the door. 

**Point of View: MAX *******************************************

The aftershock didn't last very long nor was it very powerful. But it's enough to make me wonder about the explosion. If it was strong enough to set off aftershock effects like a earthquake, there must have been more to it than unstable gummies. Someone helped it. 

Zack's resting comfortably, thanks to my blood coursing through his veins. He'll be alright. 

But I'm worried about Logan. I can't leave him . . . but I have to. The worst part is, if I walk, Lydecker will know where he is. But Logan wouldn't leave Eyes Only. 

When I get back to the waiting room, Logan's staring at his phone, Bling's out cold, being attended to by a nurse, and Tinga is gone. 

"What the hell happened?" 

**Point of View: KENDRA *******************************************

I walk into a room and see Logan and Max talking. Max asks where I've been. "I wound up in the hospital last night. I got caught in one of those drug riots. I don't really remember much. Something or somebody fell on me. I was just released. The hospital is so over, run they really need the help so, I 've got my self a job for the moment. Is everyone ok since the explosion?" 

"My friend got hurt" Logan tells me. "Were both fine". 

"I hope your friend is ok" I tell him. "Have to get back to work. If there is anything I can do to help let me know." 

I headed back to the desk, more people coming every minuet. I hope I'll be able to find out what happened to the rest of my friends. At least Logan and Max are ok. 

**Point of View: TREAD *******************************************

What the hell? I'm in town 15 minutes and the explosions are already starting? That's my Job! Between the shaking ground and me the Sector Police didn't stand a chance 

"Poor bastids… did I make oppression a bad job to have AGAIN today? Awwwww…." 

I kick a helmet with head still in it off into a dark corner, as I head over to the humvee I flipped up on its side. I wish I could have flipped it the other way. The hard drive that the cameras record to is now too high for me to reach easily. I give the vehicle a push kick back upright. I hate doing that, I like to leave a lot of chaos and destruction at the scene… makes them think twice about messing with me next time, but I'm feeling lazy. I tear off the hood. It's locked but a couple of pad locks aren't going to stop some who can bend steel in his gloved hands. The lock doesn't give, but the steel around it does. I rip out the ruggedized hard drive casing and the last of my last credible witnesses is in my Harley's saddlebag. A hover drone starts heading my way, but I've still got my Pocket Computer broadcasting "error" protocols that cause them to run back to base for diagnostics. Glad I own a few companies that make parts for those thing. 

I actually feel a pang or remorse. Not because I wasted a few crooked cops, but because I'm going to get a lecture about it from Max and Logan. Logan's probably going to blame me for explosion too. GRRRRrrrrr… I don't get him… He works for years to try and nail Steckler. I crucify him off the Space Needle in a week and I'M a bad guy. Doesn't he realize the court system is a joke? It hasn't worked as far back as OJ. Now it's going to work?   
We're both after the same thing sort of… He's trying to save the world, the good part of it. I'm trying to destroy the world, but only the bad part. Ah well, he's young and never had live off Raman because he was born into the ever so upper crusty Cale family. 

I get back on my Harley when this guy in long black coat walks out in front of my Bike and holds up a single hand at me without looking at me. 

"My name is Angel." 

I look at him for minute. I've just massacred 8 Sector Police, flipped a humvee, twice, and all this during a ground-shaking explosion. This guy comes out and poses in front me? Maybe I should take his seriously, he's either a major bad [backspace] or he's completely insane! 

"Uhmm, Ok. I hope that's going well for you." I answer. 

He turns and puts his hand in his pockets striking another pose looking at the ground. 

"I'm not going to let you get away with this." 

He looks up at me without moving his head. It's all very dramatic.   
"And… you're going to stop me how?" I ask. 

"I'm a vampire." He says with a straight face. 

I look around to make sure I'm not on "Americas Funniest Genetically Engineered Killing Machine Bloopers and Practical Jokes." 

"Uhmm.. Don't vampires kill people?" 

"Not me, I have a soul." 

HooooKay!!! I just start laughing. Obviously this guy is total nut job without even the slightest grip on reality! I start to move my bike to go around him chuckling my head off. 

"I said I'm not letting you get away with this!" He says more forcefully. I HAVE to mess with him. 

"Dude… It's daylight. Why are you bursting into flames?" 

"The Powers that be have sent me here to protect Max." 

Max?!?! This loony knows Max? No this is getting really weird, and serious. 

"How do you know Max?" 

"She's my sister… but I'm going to ask her out, cause I'm genetically engineered but I'm 400 years old but I'm in the future cause I like Max." 

He stands there babbling endlessly as I realize he's just a Manticorny victim. Some one must have let 330417291599 watch the Reruns! 

"Move it or I'll stake you… 'Angel'". I say with so much sarcasm that it alone should have killed him. 

"Try it." He says then he jumps in the air about a foot and lands pretty much where he jumped from. Then he runs at me like with his arms out pretending he's flying through the air. 

I tearing up with laughter as he jump kicks with both feet and actually knocks me off my Harley. I'm a little annoyed but how mad can a get at a looser like this? 

Then he tips my Harley over. I jump to me feet and chop a piece of the wooden guard gate off with my hand. I crack it half. So I have a nice Mr. Pointy of my own. I leap over my fallen bike and grab 'Angel' by the throat! I lift him into the air, and drive my yellow and black wooden stake through his heart. 

Then I toss his dying [Backspace] aside, set up my bike and get on. He's still fumbling with his stake not quite realizing he's dying. 

I look at him and say… 

"Poof, you just turned to dust." 

He slumps to the ground dead. I zoom off away from the carnage in a lousy mood. 

Angel. Haven't seen that in decades. Used to like that show. I watched it until FOX put on the show that was at the same time… 

I screech to a sudden stop. 

"No Way!!!!!!!" 

**Point of View: NORMAL *******************************************

I caught up to the dog as it tried to duck underneath a nearby dumpster. "You bad doggie!" I said to the pooch as I started to turn back towards Jam Pony. 

"Where's my money?" said a female voice behind me. I turned to look and saw the owner of the dog talking to a figure hidden by the shadows. 

"Here. How was the subject?" asked a male voice as he extended a envelope to the woman. 

"He's fine and doesn't seem to remember what has happened. I made an arrangement to meet with the subject at a later time." said the woman with confidence as she opened the envelope and started counting. 

"Is she talking about me?" I wondered. 

"Make sure the subject remains in the dark about our little project. I have business else where in the city so don't contact me unless it's necessary. You have the number." reminded the figure pointing at the woman for emphasis. 

"Sure. I'll do that. Have you seen my dog by the way?" asked the woman looking around and tucking the envelope into the folds of her clothing. 

"No. Take care of your charge or you know the consequences." said the figure threateningly. The woman stepped back in fear as the figure turned and left. 

"What was going on? am I the subject they are talking about?" I thought. I wrestled with the idea of following but I still had work to do and couldn't leave one of those morons in charge too long or they would likely burn it to the ground. 

I headed back to Jam Pony still trying to sort out what was happening. 

–

**Point of View: LOGAN *******************************************

"What the hell happened?" Max asks me. Before I get a chance to answer, Kendra pops up. Tells us she's working at the hospital, then disappears again. Strange girl, but this could be helpful. We're going to need assistance, getting Zack out of here. First, we need to scrape Bling off the floor. 

"Max, Tinga seems to have punched out Bling and run out. Can you..." 

"Sure." Max, aware of the number of witnesses, subtly uses her strength to get Bling sitting upright. He comes to, shaking his head. 

"What just happened?" I ask. 

"Give me a minute to figure it out," he says, blinking and rubbing the bruise developing on his face. 

I let him collect himself, turning back to Max. "Max, you think Kendra could help us get Zack out of here?" 

Max thinks for a second. "Not a bad idea, but I don't know if I want to get her involved. Lydecker knows I'm here, and he's been in your apartment. If he knows about Zack, that could put Kendra at risk." 

I look down at my phone again. It's stopped ringing, but my home phone number is still displayed. 

"Speaking of that, Max, someone just called me. From my penthouse." 

Max's face turns pale. "Logan, we're going to have to get out of here. All of us. I don't know how long Lydecker was there in the penthouse, who he saw or what he heard. You, me, Bling, Zack, Tinga...and I can't possibly remember everything we said." 

I think for a minute. "The only place I can think of for the moment is the cabin. We can't just disappear entirely, until we understand what's going on here. That's close enough to stay in touch." 

Max looks like she's about to protest. She probably wants to head for Canada, but if this drug spreads no place will be safe. I speak before she can. 

"Max, let's just get that far and then we'll figure out what to do. Even getting there is going to be hard enough. Somehow I'm going to need to get back into the penthouse and grab some equipment, delete some files. We might need another car, and we'll need to get Zack out with whatever medical supplies he needs." 

Max nods. She always feels better when she has a mission. "I'm not letting you go back to the penthouse without me. We don't know who's there. Getting Zack out is the easiest part, but we'll have to do it soon. He's going to recover too quickly and the doctors will notice." 

She turns to Bling. "And what about Tinga?" 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	10. Leaving

Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forDet. Sung, Normal, and any kind of bad guy you like.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________

**Point of View: ZACK *******************************************

As I awoke in a hospital bed feeling a little weak I couldn't really remember what had happened, and how I got here. I knew I wasn't at Manticore or I would be tied down. I thought for a second wondering if Lydecker knew I was here. I had to get out of here, but where would I go?? I started to remember bits and pieces of what happened. I could hear Max and Logan so I knew I was save for now. I decided to just rest and wait for Max. 

**Point of View: MAX *******************************************

"What about Tinga?" I ask. My sister is out there, and I'm not leaving until I find her. 

"Tinga can take care of herself," Logan says, "Right now we need to concentrate on the Informant Net. We have no idea how much has been compromised." 

He's right. Which sucks, but what can I do about it? 

First things first, we need to get Zack outta here. Hopefully he's conscious by now. While Logan collects medical supplies, Bling and I head for Zack's room. 

"What happened in that closet?" I ask. 

"I'm not sure," Bling responds, "But she's angry for a lot of reasons. I'm just the one who took it on the chin." 

We reach Zack's room, only to find the bed empty. Zack is the second Manticore to take off into the night. Something must've happened to make him run. I'm not so sure I want to find out what. 

"Logan. Let's get him and go." 

Bling and I return to the closet where we left Logan. He's trying to figure out whether we need two bottles of Tryptophan or three. He's so cute when he's puzzled. 

Damn, where'd that come from??? Back to the task at hand. 

"Max," Logan says looking up, "Where's . . . " 

"Zack's gone. And we need to vanish as well." 

**Point of View: LOGAN *******************************************

Zack's gone? Damn. We still don't know how those gummies might have affected him, he can't possibly be recovered from the coma and blood loss, and he's gone? 

I doubt he ran on his own. It's more likely someone else took him out of here. But Max is willing to leave, and I'm not going to tell her anything that will change her mind. 

I grab all three bottles of Tryptophan. Manticores seem to be popping up where I least expect them. I also take a few assorted supplies, antibiotics, anything I can fit in my bag. You never know. 

Bling is looking distracted. 

"Bling." 

He doesn't answer. 

"Bling, stop thinking about Tinga and get the car, please?" We need to get the computer files out of the penthouse, and get out to the cabin." 

Bling looks at me with a raised eyebrow and apparently decides not to comment. He heads out to the car. 

"Max, let's go over what we need from the penthouse, so we can get in and out as fast as possible." 

Max protests. "You give me a list and I'll get it. We don't know who's in there and you are NOT coming in with me." 

"Max, I need to download some of those files myself." 

Max is not going to be budged. "Logan, face it, in this case you're a liability. I don't know who's in there, or what's going to happen, and it's hard enough to protect myself, let alone you or Bling. I'm sorry, but it's just the way it is." 

A liability. Gee, thanks. 

**Point of View: TINGA *******************************************

I look around, still not thinking clearly. I have no idea where I am. Wow. Must be dealing with some heavy-duty stuff to make me forget ALL my training, even the stuff I never leave behind. 

Was it Zack's fault, or Logan and crew? //Be honest with yourself, girl,// I silently told myself. //When you think 'Logan & Crew', you really only mean one member of it.// 

I shake my head. This is getting me nowhere. And it's all about me, isn't it? 

I remain rooted to the spot. Well, isn't it? 

After an unmeasured time with no answers, I start to move again. One thing's for sure - I need a plan. And so far, the "crew" hasn't had much of one. I wonder if they always make it up as they go along, or if this is an exception. 

Some Gummy-crazed guy comes pounding up to me, probably sneaking up in his mind. "Mandycor!" he screams as he lunges. Without even looking at him, I reach back and snap his arm. He freezes, stunned for a moment, then lunges again. "Lydecker!" Frustrated, I spin, drop, and slam him to the ground. He struggles to get up, so I break his leg. The one opposite the arm. And then I walk on. 

He's given me an idea, though. Maybe I should call on dear old "dad". Been too long since we had contact, anyway. 

I find a working pay phone in a relatively quiet zone, and dial the number. Been a long time since I had to call on him, and a fair stretch since he's called on my…services. 

"Yeah. Get a message through to Colonel Donald Lydecker. Tell him his lost child is going to be at this number for 15 minutes, not one minute more." Pause for idiot babble. "You want me to give you the number? What are you, new? You should have had it before you picked up the phone." I hang up in disgust, and look around for somewhere to wait. 

**Point of View: NORMAL *******************************************

I returned to Jam Pony and tied the dog to a nearby pipe. The dog gave me a sad little look and I caved. I took the dog and placed it on my lap. 

"Where is everyone?" I yelled out to one of the incoming riders. 

"Dunno. It's like crazy out there Normal! I want hazard pay for this. Some guy tried to grab me and check my neck screaming about getting to a rally point or something. Here's the log. I'm gonna get changed and get outta here fore it gets dark and more crazies show up man." said the rider heading over to the lockers. 

"Too late. I think the crazies are already here! Don't give me your excuses or I'll fire you. Now come back here and take this package over to the south end. The address is on the box." I ordered him. 

The rider turned and glared at me. I glared right back. You can't let these animals see fear or you'll lose control I told myself. The rider gave up and took the package mumbling something underneath his breath. 

"Well. The same to you!" I mumbled back. 

The dog began to squirm. It seemed uncomfortable with the new surroundings. Who can blame it. With all these vermin laying about I would be uncomfortable too. At least the tremors had stopped. 

"Hello Jam Pony messenger service. How may I help you?" I said picking up the phone 

"Yes, yes...I see....you have a package to deliver to Fogle Towers? Sure we can do that. I'll send someone as soon as I can. We aim to please." I said to the caller. 

"Where the fire truck is Max? I need her to pick something up." I asked looking around. 

**Point of View: TREAD *******************************************

MPD/DID. It stands for multiple personality disorder/disassociative identity disorder.   
According to the files I have on my creation, on one January morning in 1969, when they were reasonably sure that I was going to live, they handed me over to the Spoilsport psychological conditioning unit. They in turn started that day, over 51 years ago, to begin engineered psychological trauma events designed to split my mind. I was six months old. 

Every curse has a benefit, just like every benefit carries a curse. 

The benefit of having MPD/DID is sometimes one of the alters in the back of my mind sees things through my eyes that I, the host personality don't notice. Kind of like going to the movies, but instead of watching the stars, you decide to watch background. Well, that's what my alter does. 

The curse is after I pass by a Black Durango driving down the street I start getting visions of it and the guy in the car. He checks out my Harley. Not unusual. Harley Davidson went out of business for a while in 2016. They were struggling financially and they never fully recovered from the Pulse. A Korean company bought the rights, and started making clones. Then a bunch of former employees seized control of the original plant and started making "REAL" Harleys, without the rights to the name. It's all very confusing now. Real Harleys are Black Market, and Genuine Harleys are crappy Korean toys. So having a working 1997 Harley is a still pretty big deal. 

But it's the face that was checking out my Harley. That's why I'm making a U turn at 60mph, it was familiar and I don't like it. Unfortunately I haven't told myself who it is yet. 

**Point of View: JONDIE *******************************************

Zack pulled my arm quickly....buildings, trees, everything was going by as one big blur...we were running and all I could think of was that I was tired, weak...and the miracle healing that was supposed to be happening wasn't...I sighed inwardly...it had started several years ago...cuts, bruises, they just didn't disappear as quickly as they used to. I had just accepted it, however in the back of my mind it haunted me, as though this new setback meant my inevitable demise...I had often remembered Zack's description of what happened to Brinn...I wondered if something worse was happening to me..only slower.. 

I didn't really know where we were going..just that Zack was with me now...strong as usual and that meant I was safe. He pulled me along behind him furiously...he was frustrated at my lack of effort..He didn't understand...I wanted to stop...I was just tired of running.. from everything. 

Bits and pieces of the last few minutes played over in my head...we were just laying there..in our separate beds...he had turned over and looked at me...there was a serenity in his eyes. I must confess it was one of the few times I had actually seen that characteristic in Zack. But then, suddenly fire...he jumped out of the bed, well...if I was honest, it was more like a lunge, followed by a stumble, and then another lunge. "Jondie?" His voice was a mix of surprise/frustration/excitement. He didn't scold me...not until he first found out that I was ok. Then came the questions..."What are you doing here.." typical Zack interrogations. But he was interrupted by something...I never saw it, but something, someone made him stop short..in the next moments he had picked up my embarrassingly feeble body in his arms..minutes later we were just running. In that instant I stumbled and fell..."Zack.." 

**Point of View: MAX *******************************************

Zack's gone. Great. Another Manticore on the loose in Seattle. Just as the craziness rises to an all time high. 

There's nothing more we can do at the hospital really, so after destroying Zack's records, Logan, Bling, and I headed out with what ever supplies we could gather. 

Bling was driving back towards Logan's where, depending upon who was in there sending that call, we'd have to decide what to do about the informant net. Bling was distracted, his mind on Tinga. I know he felt that it was his fault she bolted. 

"Max, I'm going in there," Logan says, continuing our argument, "I have to deal with the damage that may be done to the informant net." 

"No way mister. We have no way of knowing who's in there. *If* it's safe, then I'll let you in." 

I can see him wanting to swear, but he doesn't dare. He knows there's no point, I won't back down. He can't deal with the fact that I'm protecting him. 

We arrive at Logan's. Bling parks the car out front. The penthouse is dark, but I can see something moving. And then there's a flashlight beam visible. In the computer room. 

**Point of View: LOGAN *******************************************

Max heads upstairs, alone. I'm left in the car with Bling. 

I'm feeling fairly useless at this moment, but then so is he. We have nothing to say to each other. I don't think either of us wants to discuss our personal situations. At least, I don't, and for once he's not jumping in with some helpful comment. 

Max left with instructions to call me from the penthouse phone on my cel, as soon as she checks the place out. Of course, I told her to bail and leave the equipment if there's anyone there she can't handle. And of course, she won't. 

So we wait. The streets around here are quiet at the moment. Bling clears his throat. He looks like he's about to say something, but he changes his mind. 

We wait. I consider picking a topic of conversation, any topic, but at the moment nothing occurs to me. The silence lengthens. 

We wait. I'm getting more scared than I have any right to be, and kicking myself mentally for giving a damn about those computer files in the first place. 

We wait. And then we both jump when the phone rings. 

**Point of View: SKETCHY *******************************************

Tearing down the stairs like a dog with a bad itch I made the trip down to the lobby in less than 3 minutes flat. Running out the lobby door I looked in the direction I had let my bike go.......it was gone. "Fire truck"!!!!, what the hell did I just say!? boy I think I've been hanging round Normal to long.   
Feeling very in need of a few glasses of 'Zombie Soul Power'(6 shots Jack Daniel's 1 shot dry red wine, the drink of the late Godfather of soul James Brown, well.... so my father told me anyway)   
I turned and headed back for the lobby.   
Damn , I thought to myself I cant wait till I see the clown who stole my bike, just thinking about what I was going to do to him got me even more amped I started shadow boxing imagining that the punk who stole my bike was in front of me ,boy was he gonna get it POW ,POW,CrAcK.Man am I good or what?! 

Walking in to the lobby lost in my in my anger, I punched the door........Oh "Fire truck, that hurt"!! Fire truck!!!??? damn that Normal, brainwashing me with his kooky saying's. 

"Excuse me son" I looked up to see the old man from the first floor, holding my bike. 

" Are you look'n for this"? he said. 

"Yeah, I was old timer" I replied with a tone of relief. 

" My names Richard boyo, I saw you jump off your bike ,neat trick by the way, you looked like you were in a hurry so I went out and got your bike before it got stolen. I figured that you might come back look'n for it." 

"ohh man thanks for doing that, I was too worried about my girlfriend up on the tenth ." 

"That's ok Sketchy, I see you nearly every morning riding your bike down the stairwell on your way to work, I know your one of those cycle couriers so I thought that your bike was important to you." 

"How did you know my name and that I was a cycle courier??" 

" it say on your bag, 'Jam Pony cycle couriers, Sketchy' I just guessed that Sketchy was your name" 

" oh yeah." Sketchy you dumb a$$ I thought to myself. 

Passing my bike to me Richard told me that he was going to get the power on cos he was retired power board worker and he knew a few tricks to get the buildings power back on.   
I shook Richard's hand and told him that we should go and have a few drinks later and thanked him again for what he had done. 

leaving it at that I headed up the stairs again, this time with my bike. 

**Point of View: ZACK *******************************************

I got out of bed and left the hospital. At the time it was the best idea. As I ran down the street I saw Jondie.I grabbed her arm and ran with her. I thought why was she here? As I kept running with her she got weak. I picked her up and ran with her, but then she fell. 

"why are you here??" 

" you could have gotten yourself caught" 

Looking at Jondie I realized this could wait. As I helped her to her feet we kept moving quickly. I knew Logan and the others would probably go some where remote, the cabin I thought. 

" Jondie we are going to meet up with max, can you make it?" 

**Point of View: LYDECKER *******************************************

I grin manically as I watch two of my three favorite X5s run down the street. They have no idea! I sneer. My mind races, they could be fun to mess with. just for the hellofit I pull my gun and aim at Jondie's retreating feet, I fire a shot and watch her fall. "Strike one" I whisper softly as I watch Jondie grasp her foot, the bullet had imbedded itself deep in her heel. Perfect I thought, that should keep her off her feet for awhile. Zack is looking around madly and is unable to see me. Mind games were way to much fun. I tilt my gun so that the sunlight glints off it and into his eyes, and when I see him catch the sign, I sink into the brush. Hopping into the "Durango" that was hidden a block away, I turn and tell the soldier to "drive". we disappear.

**Point of View: TINGA *******************************************

Lydecker's 15 minutes are up. I can't believe this. Rejected even by him. 

Of course, I realize it's probably due to the very stupid person I contacted. In which case, Lydecker - dear ol' Dad - will exact his own revenge. I feel a smile creep irresistibly over my face at the thought. Oh well, the day's not a //total// bust if that happens. Just wish I could watch...it's always nice to watch a master at work. 

But now I have nothing. No plans, nobody to turn to...no stuff! 

Damn. What I have isn't much, but it is treasured. 

Fine. It's mine, it belongs to me...now, anyway, so I should be able to get it. I set off, resolutely heading toward Logan's. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	11. Hostage

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forDet. Sung, Normal, and Sketchy, as well as original (non-show) characters..Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: BRINN ***************************************** 

I make it to the hospital, and he's gone. Zack has disappeared again. Damn him. 

I wander around the city, wondering where he went. I'm making my way through the upper class part of the city, near the luxury high rise Fogle Towers, when I spot someone. 

Tinga. I recognized her from the picture dear old 'dad' had in her profile. Didn't know she was in town. Why is she here? Could she be with Max? 

I creep closer. She hasn't seen me yet, she's watching the penthouse of Fogle Towers. I sneak behind her, and that's when she moves, her foot stopping an inch from me. Of course, I'm ready to block it. 

She smiles at me, and it's evil. "Nice try, but you don't know who you're dealing with." 

"Tinga." I'm still not sure she's turned, as Lydecker has assured me she is. "Do you?" 

"Brinn. You're looking well." 

"Spying on someone?" 

"Working on retrieving my stuff," she says, still not shifting out of attack posture. 

"From Fogle Towers?" I know who lives there, let's see what she knows. 

"What's it to you?" 

"I got a score to settle with his girlfriend." 

"Really?" She finally drops her foot. "Maybe we should work together on this one. Wanna distract Max while I grab a few things?" 

"No prob, Big sister." 

Tinga heads off for the service entrance, while I put myself where Max can't see me. I pull out my cel and dial. She picks up on the second ring. 

"Logan, I told you I'd call when - " 

"It's not Logan," I say in my lost kitten voice, "It's Brinn." 

"Brinn?" she whispers. 

"I need help. I escaped, but Lydecker's still after me. Please Maxie." 

"Where are you?" 

I keep her on the phone until Tinga returns, which is fairly quickly. 

I hang up. "You done?" 

"Yeah, let's go." 

"Not so fast. What do you say we take a souvenir with us?" I say pointing at the parked Aztec that has two figures in it. 

Tinga grins. We sneak up on them. They don't see us until too late. 

"Tinga?" Bling manages before I clock him. He's out like a light.   
Logan's struggling, but Tinga subdues him. 

"Nighty-night, Mr. Cale," she whispers, before knocking him out. 

**Point of View: LYDECKER ***************************************** **

I walk up next to you with a smile "whatcha up to Babe?" an evil grin crosses my face. the look of shock on your face makes me laugh. "Common Tinga, you used a payphone! my officer traced it, I expected YOU to be a little more discreet" she's to predictable. "I knew where'd you'd be! it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out". I glance at the very unconscious Logan. "not exactly the 'Eyes Only' I thought he'd be, so disappointing"** **

**Point of View: TINGA ***************************************************

I look at Lydecker in amazement. Maybe there's something in the gummie fumes. Calling me Babe? And approaching me...us...on a public street, even during these chaotic times, is insane. Especially with Max upstairs, her boyfriend out cold, and Bling...I won't think about what Brinn did to Bling. It stirs up all kinds of conflicting emotions, never good. 

My glance takes in the look on Brinn's face. She's pretty much fed up with dear ol' Dad as well, I can tell...the smile starts growing on my face, mirrored on hers. "Dad" clearly isn't thinking properly. It's just him and one other guy, the driver...and a ton of crazed Gummie-eaters between us and backup. My eyes flicker a question to Brinn, and hers gleam an answer. I place Cale, whom I had started to remove, back in the car and move close--too close--to Lydecker as Brinn does a slow fade towards the driver. Smiling seductively, I place my arms around him and press against him. 

"You know, 'discreet' was never my strong suit," I purr in his ear as Brinn does a similar number on the driver. Now Lydecker is a bit confused and off-balance. We haven't dealt face to face much since the deal was struck; he's not use to Full On Tinga. 

//You can catch more flies with honey...// I think as I bring a knee firmly up to his groin, then smash his face as he doubles over. From the corner of my eye I can see Brinn dispatching the driver. I grab Lydecker firmly by the neck and flip him, slamming him firmly onto the ground. He catches me on the face--why always the face?--with a good kick. Didn't know the old man had it in him. Still, I'm able to move with the force of most of the blow, shouldn't even leave much of a bruise. 

I laugh out loud. "Why, //dad//," I say with heavy sarcasm. "Is that any way to treat your kid?" He's struggling to his feet as I deliver a few vicious kicks of my own. I check on Brinn, who's delivering what looks to be the final blow to the driver. Distracted, I miss Lydecker's next move, which knocks me off my feet and onto my butt. Growling, I spin, scissoring my legs and propelling myself up and off the ground, and into him with considerable force. He sails through the air quite nicely and lands hard, bounces and lands bonelessly. I stand up, check the face--not too bad, about what I thought--fix the hair, and dust myself off. Brinn is checking out the Humvee for transportation. 

"What do you think, Sis?" she asks me. 

I look it over, smiling at her. "Nice ride...don't think they'll be using it for a while." She grins back at me in return. 

I reach into Cale's car, grab him out of it. As I'm clearing the front seat, Bling groans and blinks a few times, looking around and focusing on me. The look he gives me, one of confusion, hurt and--what else? I don't know--cuts me deep. A gauntlet of emotions runs through me, and I close my eyes briefly, tightly. Then I open them with firm resolve, stare hard and deep into Bling's blurred eyes. I give a small, emphatic shake of my head no, and spring away. 

Brinn is readying the back seat. She's found some rope and has already attached it to the hand hold on the car's roof. I place Logan in the back seat, and she looks over at the building. "Ah, sis? I think we'd better get mobile." I look to where the elevator doors are opening, and see them open. Knowing who had to be there, I hastily get into the front seat, start the Humvee, and roar away, just as Max realizes that something has gone very, very wrong. I glance in the rearview, see her worried face, full of fear, etch itself into my memory as she chases fruitlessly behind us... 

**Point of View: MAX ***************************************** **

I'm standing in the street. STANDING there as they take Logan away. Not just they either. No, it's my*dear* sisters. The ones I thought I could trust.I had gone to check out Logan's penthouse, to make sure that it was safe. 

When I got there, the doorwas opened and the power was out. Could of happened in the blast, or could of happened later.There was someone in there, walking around with a flashlight. Whoever it is headed my way, and I wasready. They were just about to get a face full of motorcycle boot when I realized it's Cindy.

"Cindy!""Damn Boo, you scared me," she cried."Don't ever sneak up on me again," I warned her.

"I won't. Original Cindy has no desire to eat boot leather."

"Hang on, I have to give Logan the all-clear," I told her as I reached for the phone. It rang just as myhand touched it.I snatched it up. "Logan, I told you I'd call when - " 

"It's not Logan," a small voice replied, "It's Brinn.""Brinn?" I whispered."I need help. I escaped, but Lydecker's still after me. Please Maxie."

"Where are you?" I looked out the window, hoping she'd be there. She wasn't. I turned my back to thewindow.

"South Market," she said.

"Ok, I'll meet you at - " The phone had gone dead. I tried redial. Nothing. Damn Brinn, what had happened?

"Cindy, stay here. I'm going to send Logan and Bling up. If Brinn calls, tell her I'm on my way," I said as Iheaded for the door, Logan's hard drive in my hand."Sure thing, girl."

I raced downstairs, not waiting for the elevator. When I got out to the street, Tinga and Brinn were driving away in a Humvee. Once glance at the Aztec was all I'd needed to know that they had Logan.My sisters kidnapped Logan. The only thing that hurts more is the fact that Logan was right - I should'vebeen more careful about trusting Tinga.Bling is trying to sit up straight in the Aztec. He's been conscious for a little while, but still sluggish. I goover to him.

"Max, I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault, it's mine. Logan was right," I say, "I should've known she'd change."The thing that scares me most is Donald Lydecker is out cold on the street. Tinga and Brinn have struckout on their own.

**Point of View: JONDIE***************************************** **

"Max..." I whisper. Zack looks at me strangely. I don't know why I expected anything compassionate from him. I stop, everything just seems to hit me at once. "She's alive???" I feel myself tear up slightly. I had never known, the last memory I had was...I looked down, when I left her...I just left her in the ice. At that moment I wanted to see her...hug her...tell her how sorry I was...but I was afraid. Emotions never went over well with me. I gave into them easily...

Zack opened his mouth but his words were cut off by the sting of something on my foot.It shocked me more than anything. The pain I could deal with. I rolled over into the shielding shadows of a building. Zack was right next to me. I looked down. Blood started to stain my shoe. Shot, but by whom...God only knows. 

Zack scanned the area. I didn't...admittedly I had gotten slack with my soldier instincts...however it was by choice. I just wanted to forget everything....start over. Unfortunately my last attempts had failed.Zack motioned to me with his hands. I nodded indicating my comprehension. I stayed stationary as he moved towards the direction of where the gunshot had emerged from. As he drew nearer a car sped away...I didn't get a good look at it.Zack slowly walked back to me. His eyes indicated the simple, but uncomfortable situation at hand. Slowly he stooped down to pick me up...but I refused. He rolled his eyes and continued. I don't know why I was suddenly angered at him. I guess because I felt I had something to prove...however walking on a swollen, bleeding foot was not the best tactic.

-------------

Moments later we were in what appeared to be his temporary home. I was perched on a chair, my foot elevated. He came out of the bathroom with a cream rag, alcohol, and...I looked a way...a knife. "We need to get that out of you." I nodded. Going back to the hospital was foolish when you could take care of everything yourself. I tightened my jaw. He looked at me softly, which honestly caught me off guard, as though he was trying to apologize for the pain about to occur...I nodded and kept my eyes focused on him, it helped me suppress the urge to make some sort of sound. Nothing slipped past my lips as he dug in. 'Focus,' I thought..'just focus.'

------------

My foot was now wrapped in gauze. I stared at Zack. He was trying to make a decision...So much was at stake now. First the gummies, then the unidentified shooter, and of course..there was always Lydecker. It was apparent he felt an unsuppressed urge to get to Max. Although he had mentioned that she was in the hospital....why he didn't try to make any contact before we left...I didn't know. "Why don't you try the contact number?" He looked at me...there was something else...something was bothering him. He had seen something at the hospital...I knew that..what it was I hoped would soon be revealed to me. However currently the anxiety to see Max was overwhelming and took my mind off Zack's secret.

** **

**Point of View: ZACK ***************************************** **

As I sat in my apartment with Jondie I couldn't help but think of max and the others. I desperately wanted to find them and make sure Lydecker didn't. I could tell Jondie knew something was up with me but at the time it didn't bother me. I looked at Jondie and made my decision. "Jondie, Tinga was at the hospital with Max" I looked at her and continued "there was something different about her though"I stood up and began to pace." do you think you can walk on that foot of yours?" she nodded but I could tell it bothered her.I helped her to her feet and grabbed a few things and told Jondie we were going to Logan's to wait for max there. We both walked out of my apartment and headed to Logan's.The walk over was very quiet walked at a slow pace so that she wouldn't hurt her wound anymore than it was.I looked over at her and noticed she was staring at me."Jondie? Everything ok?"

**Point of View: KENDRA***************************************** **

I'm doing some paper work to process all the people coming in.It seems like the hospital keeps getting more and more busy.It is almost time for my shift to be up when, I hear one of the doctors screaming. "What do you mean one of the patients just got up and walked away ..." I couldn't help thinking of Max and Logan. I wonder if they had anything to do with that.I continued to finish up what I was doing. I think I'm going to see if I can find Original Cindy and Sketchy, and see if they are all right. Maybe they will be at crash, or I could always check at Logan's place. With that in mind, and my shift over, I head out to see if I can find anyone.

**Point of View: LOGAN ***************************************** **

Why am I sleeping with cold leather under my head?And why is it moving?I'm trying to wake up enough to figure out. My head is spinning.

There are voices."Just get through the checkpoint and then we'll figure out what to do with him." Unknown, female.

"Hopefully baby sister will be too busy patching up the other two to come after us. Unless she just decides the finish the job with Lydecker. Either way, bought us some time." Tinga.I remember. 

I was in the car with Bling, and then...I was here. I knew she couldn't be trusted, no matter what Max wanted to think.I turn my raise my head, a bit. It hurts. The two are up front. I've never seen the other one, but from the perfection of her features I'm guessing it's another Manticore.

If I can only stay awake until the checkpoint, I might be able to do something. I can't forget the heightened senses of these women, so I lower my head back to the seat as slowly as I can. A mistake. The strain makes my head spin again, and throb. I'm trying to keep myself conscious.We hit a bump, my head bounces, and I feel myself slipping back into unconsciousness.

**Point of View: BRINN ***************************************** **

We made it through the check points, and Logan was smart enough to pretend to be unconscious, rather than try an escape. Maybe Max hadn't made a bad choice after all. He certainly was cute.

Get your head in the game, girl. This is about one thing and one thing only. Revenge. Revenge on Max and Zack for leaving me at Manticore. Revenge on Lydecker for torturing me. 

Tinga's got some of the same reasons.It is a pleasure working with my big sister. Tinga and I used to be inseparable, kind of like Jondie and Max. But we weren't pushovers. There's only so much a girl can take before she fights back. 

In the back of my mind, I'm wondering if we haven't pushed Max too far.Or maybe we haven't pushed far enough. That thought makes me smile. I like pushing the envelope. After all, this is about revenge on both Max AND Zack."Hey sis," I call to Tinga who's driving through the Oregon wilderness, "We've captured Max's toy, what about Zack?"

**Point of View: JONDIE***************************************** **

Zack and I were fairly silent as we walked. Silence was a typical Manticore product now....it had been installed in us somehow...when there was nothing to say...we made no effort to engage in conversation. I suppressed the pain of my foot. It was as though with each step I could feel the knife cut deeper. I tried not to concentrate on it, but the limp was fairly obvious. I felt so frustrated...Why wasn't it healing faster. 

I sighed inwardly...things always changed, and apparently my DNA was not immune to this truth.Zack treated me tenderly. I looked at him intently...for a moment our eyes locked...but he quickly turned his glance away . I looked down reminded of memories that had refused to be buried. There was something about him, his strength, his hidden vulnerability that ignited something in me...

I wanted him...I always had, from the moment I first saw him...but deep down I knew he would never belong to me. This realization had been a hidden root to countless arguments. Our relationship was highly volatile...and I honestly didn't know how to change that. He made me angry, passionate, sad, and happy all at the same time.

"Are you alright?" His raspy voice broke the silence. I nodded. I didn't want him to think me weak...anything but that was acceptable. The look in his eyes revealed his disbelief. "You sure.""Positive," I snapped...my voice was cold. He looked slightly confused..I looked dead ahead at the apartment buildings. The soldier had taken over again...it always did when I didn't want to face something. We both walked along on the back streets, hopefully remaining unseen by anyone who knew what we were. The thoughts of my attacker raced through my head....it seemed the whole world was turning against us. 

I was about to utter some comment when I noticed the look on Zack's face, one of relief and...excitement...it melted away quickly.He quickened his pace and I fell behind him. As I walked slowly I noticed him talking to...a girl..she was angry and apparently upset.

**Point of View: MAX ***************************************** **

As much as I'd like to chase after my *dear* sisters, there's a few things I have to take care of first.No1 is Bling. He's conscious, but has a nasty head wound. I wonder if it was Tinga's doing. He needs to be checked out, but with the hospitals so full, he's going to have to make do with my left over medical training from Manticore.

No2 is Cindy. I left her upstairs to go running after Brinn. She's gonna have to come with us to the cabin.

No3 is Lydecker and his companion, who have been nicely left unconscious in the street in a location that would be rather convenient for them when they wake up.These are not in any order of importance. Leaving Bling in the Aztec, I make sure Lydecker and the guard are thoroughly unconscious. After disarming them, I move them to a new location, a few streets away.Next I go back upstairs. Logan's hard drive is already in the Aztec, but this time I'm taking everything.

"What happened to Brinn?" Cindy asks when she sees me."I'll explain later. Start unplugging stuff."With Cindy's help, Logan's entire set-up gets loaded into the Aztec. Carefully moving Bling into the passenger seat, I slide into the driver's seat. Eyes Only is going to be moved to the cabin until I'm sure it's safe to move back.And until I get Logan back from my *dear* sisters, I'm gonna have to fill in for him.

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY********************************* **

I love my boo to death, and I'd do anything for her, but damn! This right here, this is some screwed up sh*t. First, these Herbal Gummies are screwing up everyone. Now roller boy has up and gotten himself kidnapped, home girl is running around grabbing computer equipment like she's been popping those freaky @ss gummies, and some dude is laying on a couch with a busted open head.Just another chapter to add to the never-ending story of my life.

Max is throwing various things at me and telling me to hold them."Boo, why are we taking all this stuff? Shouldn't we be more worried about getting your man back?" I asked, silently asking for more information than what I already knew."Yeah, we are getting him back, and this is how." Max said darkly.

**Point of View: TINGA ***************************************** **

I look over at Brinn. Her suggestion is tempting, but if I never see that blonde poster child for ROTC again, it'll be too soon. Besides, two beatings and a near death experience is enough for me, for now. At least in one 24 hour period."No," I say, finally. "It's more trouble than it's worth. And we're going to have enough to do, dealing with Cale, and Max, and dear old dad, who isn't going to be too pleased when he wakes up..." 

I can't help it. A grin spreads on my face. I've wanted to do that for a long, long time - knock Lydecker on his @ss. My grin is mirrored on Brinn's face. She enjoyed it mightily, too. And now we're independent girls. But that's not the easiest thing to be."So," I ask. "Where we going to go?"

**Point of View: BRINN ***************************************** **

"So," Tinga asks. "Where we going to go?"Considering that we're heading for towards Oregon border, and Canada is way too obvious, I reply, "Oregon, preferably Portland or some other city, unless you've got a better idea."

She doesn't, not at the moment anyway, so she returns to driving. Logan's behaving quite nicely, staying unconscious and all. I wish Lydecker would behave like that, but I bet right about now he's waking up on Sis' doorstep, mad as a bull.Max. 

'You asked her not to let you die,' a little voice in the back of my head reminds me, 'You can't blame her for doing what you asked.'I'm not about to let a little guilt get in my way, so I shove that voice down into the darkest recesses of my mind. I'm not doing this to get back at Max for leaving me at Manticore. I'm doing this for me. I'm sick of following orders, from Lydecker and from Zack. And I'm sick of it always being about Max.Figures that the two men (if you can call them that) in my life are consumed by her, so to rebel against that, I kidnap the third guy who is consumed by her.

And Max is going to be rabidly angry about this. She'll take it personally, and go after us with a vengeance.I hope she doesn't catch up to us.

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	12. Kendra

(Logan) 

_ _ _Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forDet. Sung and Normal.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: KENDRA ***************************************** 

As I walk up to Logan's place I see Max and Original Cindy getting into the car. I holler at Max and she turns around. I can tell something's wrong so I ask what happened. Max mumbles something about her sisters and Logan and tells me to get in the car. I hop in Original Cindy fills me in on Max's sisters kidnapping Logan and how there on there way to Logan's Cabin. I had never seen Max this upset before, or maybe it was anger. I'm not sure, the only thing I'm thinking is it would probably be a good idea to keep my mouth shut and do what I can to help. 

**Point of View: MAX ***************************************** **

I said I was going to use Logan's computer to get him back, and I will. Eyes Only is how. I've done it before and I can do it again. If I send out a broadcast telling the X-5's to report in to Zack's contact number, hopefully he'll see it and call me. Then we can regroup and go after Tinga and Brinn. 

I didn't want to get Kendra involved, but she came running up to us. I couldn't leave her there, Lydecker was only a block away. So I told her to get in the car, and now the four of us are headed up to the cabin. 

Bling's still feeling the blow Brinn gave him, and the blow to his ego from Tinga. He's not the only one. I'm still stinging from her betrayal. 

Logan was right, but because I was too stubborn to listen, he's been grabbed by two angry - and deadly - X-5's. 

I don't want to think they'd go that far, but I didn't think they'd ever go this far either. 

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY*******************************************

Ok, I am not liking this. At all. In the least. I should be at work, listening to Normal bipping and b*itching at us all, but I am in a car with Max, Kendra, some black dude who has been knocked upside the head and a carload full of computer equipment. And to top everything else that is wrong with my life off, I seriously have to pee. 

Max is looking possessed. She is staring straight ahead at the road, barely blinking, her jaw clenched. "Max." I finally break the silence, but she continues to stare ahead without answering. "Boo?" I repeat. This time she half-turns to look at me, finally acknowledging other life forms in this vehicle, which on a personal note, I think is a piece of crap, but anyways.... "Boo, what's the plan? I mean, how are you going to use all Moneybag's computer crap to get him back?" 

Max continued to stare at the road, taking a deep breath before she spoke. "There is something that you guys don't know about Logan-" Bling sat up, swaying. "Max, no don't-" He said, his voice as weak as his protest.   
"They have to know Bling. In order for this to work we need them to know." Max said quietly. She now turned onto a small side road, that I guess will lead to Logan's middle of no where cabin. Bling fell back to his seat, resigned.   
"Kendra, you still don't know all there is to know about me, but we don't have time for that now."   
"Ok, just give me the basics." Kendra said from behind me, I could tell how scared she really was.   
"Ok, I have a past with the military, from when I was a child. I ran away, they're looking for me still. I can do some stuff that normal people can't. I have brothers and sisters like me. Two of them kidnapped Logan." Max turned onto another road, leading into woods. She took another deep breath before she continued. "What you both don't know about Logan is that he...well, he's...." Max trailed off. She looked like she was trying to decide whether we could be trusted.   
I reached over and laid my hand reassuringly on her arm. She took another breath and finally spoke. "Logan is Eyes-Only." 

I sat their in complete shocked silence. Logan, Max's rich boyfriend, was the famous Eyes-Only. No way.   
Nope, not a chance in hell. Uh-uh. My homegirl must be suffering some like stress induced retardation or something.   
The eyes. Oh my god! I always thought there was something familiar about Logan, the few times I have been around him. It's the eyes!   
"Holy $hit" Kendra exclaimed from the backseat.   
"Holy $hit" I repeated a few moments later.   
We all sat there in quiet for a moment. Finally Max spoke. "I have more brothers and sisters. I am going to use Logan's computers to do a Eyes-Only hack and contact them. I've done it once before, I can do it again."   
"What's going to happen when they get here? How do you plan to get Logan back?" Bling asked, laying his head against the window as Max pulled into a small driveway. Max jumped out of the car and grabbed a small laptop as she went.   
The rest of us followed, with Kendra and I helping Bling up to the cabin's door. "Well, once my brothers and sisters get here," Max said as she made quick work of picking the doors two locks, "We are going to track down Logan, kick Brinn's and Tinga's @ss into submission, then we are all have to save the world yet again from the clutches of evil. Or figure out what is wrong with those Gummies." Max placed the laptop on a table opening it up and flipping the switch to on. "Just another day in the average life of Max." She muttered typing in a password. 

I've got Max, the genetically engineered super killing machine, I've got Logan, the infamous Eyes-Only, I've got Kendra, dating *ewww* Walter the Pig. 

God, I certainly can pick 'em. 

**Point of View: KENDRA*************************************** **

I didn't know what to say, ... Logan Eyes Only. And Max having a past with the military. What the heck is going on?? Things are staring to get a little crazy.   
Max just gave me the basics. I'm not sure I even want to know the whole story.   
As Original Cindy and I help Bling into the cabin, my thoughts drift to Walter. I forgot all about him with all the events lately. I assure myself he is okay. If he wasn't I would have saw him at the hospital. I can track down Walter later. Right now, I need to focus on helping Max. 

**Point of View: LOGAN***************************************** **

My head hurts. 

I try to open my eyes but it's difficult. There's some kind of chemical taste in the back of my throat. Am I in the hospital again? 

Female voices, arguing. 

Tinga. Brinn. Oh joy, guess we made it through the Sector police. I get my eyes open and try to rub them, but my hands are tied. I'm shaky. God knows how long I've been out, days or weeks for all I know. 

It's dark in here. As my eyes adjust I can see that it's daylight outside, although the shade is pulled. I'm in some kind of bedroom--house? apartment? can't tell. Don't care where I am, just want to get out. My fingers are stiff but I start working at the ropes around my wrists. The knots aren't as tight as they could be, probably haven't been re-tied for as long as I've been out. They're starting to slip. 

In the next room the voices are rising. I hear names. Lydecker. Zack. Max. And then a crash. The door slams open. 

Damn. 

**Point of View: BRINN***************************************** **

Logan's looking up at me like a guilty little puppy. He's been trying to slip his bonds. 

"Bad boy," I whisper, caressing his face. He flinches at my touch. I resist the urge to slap his perfect face. "Don't try anything," I warn him, reaching around to retie his hands. Not like he really could . . . 

"I know you think Max betrayed you, but you're mad at the wrong person," he says. 

"What would you know about my emotions?" I snap. 

His blue eyes blink. "I may know more than you think." 

"Oh, well, then Mr.High-and-Mighty-Eyes-Only, do tell me what my feelings are." 

"You're mad at yourself for giving in to Lydecker's promises, but you're blaming Max. You and Tinga are doing this out of misplaced anger. You both think Max has taken something from you, but she hasn't." 

Damn him trying to use psychobabble on me . . . it's working on a little part of me, hidden deep down. 

"Brinn," he says softly, "You don't want to do this." 

"Yes, yes I do. You don't understand!" I hear myself shriek. And then I slap him. 

**Point of View: TREAD***************************************** **

[#^@&!#&][3] Traffic!!!!! 

This city is actually worse than a Manhattan rush hour right now!!!! 

I lost the friggin' Durango when a bunch of sector police chased one of those little Golf cart cars into an intersection resulting in a an 8 way collision, so I'm just heading over to Logan's. But that guy's face is stuck in my head like a popcorn skin caught under the gum of my tooth. I know I'm supposed to know him, and I think I dislike him intensely. I just won't tell me who and why. I cut down a side street. 

I see a little girl. She is maybe all of four years old, and has got a fresh bag of Manticorny Gummies. She's tugging hard at the plastic package trying to get them open. I slowly roll by and snatch the bag. 

"These are bad for you." 

I tuck them in a pocket and I'm bout to head off, when her face contorts and she starts to cry. I try to start my damn bike and get out of there, but my hands won't do the right thing. Damn my subconscious conscience! DAMN ME STRAIGHT TO HELL! 

"Where's you parents?" 

"G'way. Yur mean." 

"C'mon, is your mommy or daddy around." 

"No. Mommy ran away." 

Uh oh! 

"Did she have some candy right before?" 

"Uh huh. She didn't give me none ether." 

"Ok. I want you think hard." 

"Give me back my candy!" 

"Where do you live?" 

"In my house." 

For a split second I fantasize that I pull out my 9mm and blow her little head off. 

"Do you know where that is?" 

She shrugs. 

"Ok. Sweetheart, what's your favorite food in the world?" 

"Candy!" 

"Are sure? You don't like anything even more." 

"Mmmmm... Chuko'luck cake." 

"Okay, if you help me find your mommy, I'll get you a whole Chocolate cake just for you." 

She thinks about it for a second. 

"Okay." 

I lift her on my bike in front of me. Logan will love this. He'll get to track down her mother and play hero, and he'll have keep a civil tongue in his head rather than offend the munchkin. Plus that nagging "Be Good Guy" feeling is going away, now that I actually am. I was SO not in the mood to be a good guy today. 

"A cake just for me right." She says looking up at me. 

"Yup. Enough to make you barf." 

"Ewwww." 

I turn down Logan's block with the munchkin on board. 

Down the block in front of his building is none other than the guy from the black Durango standing there with a guy in military dress gear. Looks like a chauffer or something. They both have that, "I've been beaten up" look. 

It finally hits me. Lydecker. Donald Lydecker. The guy who heads up Manticore. I've got my hand on my 9mm before I realize the kid MIGHT not understand why I was killing people. I look around for a place to put her. Down the block I see a small restaurant/bar. 

They are none too happy when I ride my Harley inside and spin around. The bartender pulls out a shotgun and points it at me. 

"Get the hell out of here you crazy [b@stard."][4]

I toss him a $1000 in rolled up $100's. 

"You got Chuco'luck - I mean chocolate cake?" 

I put the kid on the barstool. 

"Get some, and watch her till I get back, there's another roll like that for you." 

I motion to one of the patrons to open the door. As he does I hear the bar tender say, 

"Hey! Wait . . . " 

I peel out. For two grand, he can afford a tire streak on the floor. 

Moments later I'm parking my bike by the curb in front of Lydecker and his goon. 

Deck is yelling into his cell phone and at the goon at the same time. 

"I have a tracer on the car. I need a ride now dammit. You! You're supposed to be my bodyguard! You're supposed to protect me with your life!" 

As I walk up to Lydecker I say: 

"Don't worry..." and I do a right-handed backhand punch to the goons face smashing his maxillary bone into pieces and driving them into his frontal cortex. 

"He did." He drops to the floor dead. 

Deck goes for his gun. With my left hand I grab his right hand with gun and swing it with enough force to send the piece flying. With my right hand I grab him by the throat and lift him into the air. 

"Donald Lydecker. We need to talk." 

I walk into Logan's building with Don kicking and making crude attempts at screaming. 

"Damn, you're as short as I am." I say. 

"I don't know who you are, but you're in a hell of a lot of trouble." He coughs as I let some air get down his throat. 

"Really?" I don't have a key to Logan's lobby door. So I just smash it open with Deck's Body. 

Deck goes sliding across the floor into the open elevator. He's struggling to get back to his feet when the security guard rushes after him, gun drawn. 

As I walk by the security desk, I shoot out the surveillance console, knocking out the building security. 

The guard turns and aims at me. I just knock him out. 

Deck is now kneeling by the controls of the elevator. The doors start to close. 

I grab a fire extinguisher and slide it across the floor like a missile. 

It slides between the elevator doors just before they shut, and they start to re-open. 

He reaches for the extinguisher. I shoot it and the Liquid C02 explodes all over the inside of the elevator. The doors open. Lydecker is shivering and bleeding. He looks at me as I enter the elevator. 

"Whoever you are, I can make it worth you while not to kill me." 

"Why would I kill you when I'm having so much fun torturing you, Deck!" 

I can see that pisses him off. Mr. AA "I'm in control". He's catches himself and acts like he's at the mercy of unstoppable me. Nah... He's a Machiavellian little viper from his profile. He's just waiting to get the upper hand. 

"If you'd like to break a few fingers on the way up. Go head. I can always use a good laugh." 

The elevator doors close. 

As we get up to Logan's apartment I throw Lydecker back out of the elevator. 

"Dammit, I'm hurt!" 

"Don't worry, these people will fix you up." 

"You mean Max and her rich 'Eyes Only' boyfriend?" 

I glare at him. Lydecker starts laughing. I don't like it! He knows way too much. I grab him by his hair and pull him to his knees. 

That's when the viper strikes. A small double-edged knife scrapes across the metal cup covering my privates. I'm a little surprised. That was good gamble. Before I can decide exactly how to react he stabs the knife right into my forearm. It hurts like hell, but I just lift him up further by his hair into a position where he can't quite get his feet under him, but can't kneel either. He release the knife stuck in my arm and grabs my hand with both of his trying to support his weight with something besides his hair. 

He looks up at the knife still stuck deep in my arm. 

"What are you! A RED?! A foreign Transgenic?" 

"Awwww Deck! I'm insulted!" I shake him a little so he winces.   
"You of all people should know me." I lift him all the way off the ground again, by his hair.   
"I am the OLDEST of the dragons." 

I start to use that mutant muscular system of mine, and without touching the knife I work the blade out of my arm. Deck watches as it falls to the ground with a slight metallic clatter. 

"You can't be!" 

"Can't be who? Deck." 

"He's just a myth a" 

"Who's just a myth Deck?" 

"You're!" 

"Yeah?" 

"You're!" 

"Go head." I give him a smile that would make Satan himself shiver. "I'll let you say it once." 

He hesitates, trying to grasp the concept. He has a moment of pure panic before he regroups.   
"Spoilsport." 

"Bingo." I drop him back to the ground. 

"Just kill me and get it over with you moron!" he tells me. 

"Moron? I've been called lost of things in my life, Donny, but never a moron." 

"My troops are on their way here. To a building with it's own armed security. You drag me in here to the apartment of a one my girl's boyfriends, a guy who's already been kidnapped by two of my other girls. No wonder they never copied you!" 

"I broke the mold." 

I reach down and grab at him. He tries to fight me off, but he'd stand a better chance of fighting off an industrial robot. I grab him by the back of the neck and kick Logan's door open. 

"Logan was kidnapped by two of your other girls! Two other escaped Manticore? Who?"" 

He glares at me and smiles, tightlipped. 

As I drag him inside he alternates between trying to get his feet under him and walking with his hands. He reminds me of a street cat that just had a collar put on it. All the while a string of expletives pour out of his mouth. 

I walk into Logan's computer room. It's been stripped clean. I was kinda hoping his camera was here so I could tape Deck's humiliation. 

"You traitorous freak!" He yells at me. I lift him up to eye level. 

"YOU'RE CALLING ME A TRAITOR!" 

"You were made to work FOR your country. Instead you just turned into a homicidal monster." 

"I was made to SAVE my country from a tyrannical Government that was trying to enslave its people. You're the one with Military ID who thinks he OWNS people." 

"I made THEM! I made them to better than the rest of the scum out there." He growls back. 

"Oh, you mean the people the Government is by. . ." 

I toss his a$s half way through a nearby sheet rock wall. Then go around the corner to the other side where he's half sticking out. 

"Of . . ." I grab him by the back of the neck and pull him the rest of the way through. 

"and FOR!!!" 

I start to tighten my grip, a he dangles there in mid air. . . he tries to hold it together but he start to scream. He glares at me . . . his eyes tearing up from the pain. 

I catch the look. . . then I catch myself. . . 

He was goading me to kill him. He knows I WILL eventually torture any and every Manticore secret he has out of him. And enjoy every minute of it. 

"Nice one. You're not as much of an Elmer Fudd as I thought you were." 

He's too beaten up to cover up his disappointment at me catching on. 

Now I want to kill him more than ever. But that's not going to get me what I want, and he'll eventually be replaced by someone I don't know anything about. I'd have to start all over doing research! I need to screw with his head. Hit him where he's. . . WEAKEST!!! 

My eyes light up like a kid on Christmas. It's inspired. It's beautiful. It's twice a vicious and half as messy!!!! 

I drag him out to the kitchen. 

"I asked you a question before. I really hate repeating myself." 

I start going through Logan's cabinets till I find what I'm looking for. His hard Liquor.   
Logan's more of a wine and cheese type, so he doesn't have anything over 50 proof. Still there's enough stuff for a real good party. 

I turn and look at Deck still in my vise grip of right hand, and put my left hand on my face like McCauley Kulkin. 

"Look what I found." 

"You wouldn't!!!" 

I reach up and grab the highest proof bottle I see. I bite down on the cap and unscrew it with one hand. I spit the cap across the room. 

"Bottoms up!" I bring the bottle close to his mouth he grabs at my arm trying to hold me off. 

"You [b@stard!][5] This. . . This is inhuman!" 

"You should see my DNA!" 

I bend his head back a little. 

"Open wide." 

"Please!! Don't do THIS!" 

"Oh come on, after a few bottles you'll feel much more talkative!" 

He tries to turn his head away from the bottle I'm waving under his nose. His lips tighten as at draws near. His eyes cross staring at the mouth of the bottle. 

Finally he cries out. 

"Brinn and Tinga dammit!!!!" 

"Who?" I reply. 

"The girls!!!! The one that took the Cale guy!!" 

"You didn't put their names on their files, jerk! I only know Theta numbers and Barcodes." 

Deck spouts off Brinn and Tinga's stats. I'm a little taken back. Like the first time Max told me her name. Something about having names makes them people in my head, not just emotionless pictures with vital stats. Now I see them in my mind being tortured the way I was. 

I had to hunt down the bastards who did it me. 

But I'm staring at the one who hurt them. 

I choke up around his neck till I'm in the right position, then I use the palm of my hand holding the bottle to shove his jaw open wide. I latch my thumb over his incisors. . . and pour!!! 

He chokes a little and spits most of the booze out. 

I can't hold his neck, the bottle and his nose to make him swallow. But I can close his nose another way. 

*CRACK* 

I pour more booze into his mouth. . . this time he swallows more, but still spits a lot out. 

I'm getting annoyed. I throw him on the kitchen island face up. His head in the little sink there. I put down the bottle next to his head and grab a long thin kitchen knife. 

"If you don't start co-operating, I can just cut a hole in your stomach and pour it in there. It doesn't even have to be a big hole." 

He looks at me. . . his eyes dart up and down. This is a real crack in his armor. He knows I'll do it and he looks scared. I don't blink, I don't twitch. I slowly grab for the bottle and stuff it in his mouth. He swallows. Big Swallows. A single stream of tears start to flow down his cheek. 

I should be enjoying this. This man, Donald Lydecker, is an antichrist to a race of supermen. But I'm not. He's a monster and I SCARE HIM! What the hell does that make me. 

His words echo through my head. "You were made to work FOR your country. Instead you just turned into a homicidal monster." 

I pull the bottle out of his mouth and take a few steps back. He puts his arms over his face. 

I hear noises out side from the street. A hover drone cruises by the windows peeping in. 

"You mentioned a tracking device." 

He looks out from under his arms.   
"When?" 

"Right before I killed your body guard." 

"Good memory, good ears." 

"Hand it over." 

He pauses a moment. Then just reaches into his pocket and throws it at me. 

"Kill me now and get it over with." 

"Can't, I need you for my plan." 

"Plan?" 

I reach into my pocket and pull out the package of Manticorny Herbal Gummies. Deck catches on immediately and dives off the edge of the kitchen island. I catch his foot and pull him right back on again. 

There's a lot of biting and kicking, but eventually he swallows the whole bag. 

A half an hour later the two of us enter the lobby to Logan's building. 

Building security has their weapons pointed at Deck's men, and vice versa. Deck pulls out his badge. 

"This was a mistake. We got the wrong place, I've checked it out myself." 

Deck makes quick apologies to building security and we walk out into the street together. 

"I want all units to return to Manticore. We're going to have to handle this a little differently." 

One of his officers looks at him and says, "But sir. You look like hell." 

"ARE YOU QUESTIONING ME SOLDIER!" 

"No sir." He turns to the others. "Pack everything up. We're heading home." 

Deck walks over to me and whispers. 

"That went just like you said. They totally think I'm Lydecker." 

"Yup." 

"I still don't understand how you got me out of Manticore and did this much plastic surgery." 

"It wasn't easy." 

"You're telling me. When is my nose supposed to finish healing?" 

"Uhmmm. Soon." 

"I don't know why you're doing all this. . . but thanks." 

"Just watch the little girl in the bar. I'll be back, …Zack." 

Deck heads off down the street. I figured since each gummie had a few memory engrams from. . . Zack, and that a couple of them were enough to give a person delusions of being a Manticore. A whole bag would make some totally believe they were . . . Zack.   
I check the tracking device and I get on my Harley. 

Time to rescue Logan! 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com
   [3]: mailto:#^@&!#&
   [4]: mailto:b@stard.
   [5]: mailto:b@stard!



	13. Finding Logan

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forDet. Sung and Normal.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: TINGA ***************************************** 

I hear Brinn in the next room. She sounds agitated. And I hear the unmistakable sound of damage being dealt out. For a split second I flinch, wondering how I managed to screw up my life //this// badly on such short notice. Then I resolutely get up and sprint for the next room. 

Brinn is looking just this side of losing it. She's got Cale pulled halfway off the bed and is slapping him repeatedly. So far she hasn't done much damage, but she doesn't look likely to stop any time soon. 

"Brinn!" I spit out in command tone. "Desist that action, soldier!" 

For a second she comes up sharp, then I can see the hand that's got Cale's clothing tighten. She turns to me, and the face that looks back at me has none of the baby sister I remember. It's even less human-looking than Lydecker's. 

"C'mon, Brinn," I say, more softly. "We need him alive. Relatively undamaged." 

Something ugly moves behind her eyes. "Wasn't going to damage him...much," she says, deceptively light. "What's with the Manticore soldier talk, sis? You think you're in charge here, or something?" 

In charge. What a joke. 

"You're not exactly reacting in a fashion that makes a lot of sense, Sis," I say softly. 

It's the wrong thing to say. She flinches again, and real anger flickers behind her eyes. It may not make much sense to me, but it obviously makes sense to her, and she's angry that I don't understand. We've both rejected everyone who even nominally supported us at this point, and have only each other. And now I've "turned" on her, too. 

"Well, let me see if I can introduce you to my logic," she says as she drops Cale, mercifully silent during this, and springs over to me. I block the punch that's aimed at my face. 

Why is it always the face? 

Following through on the block, I grab her arm and use its momentum to tumble her. She easily transforms the fall into a controlled roll, landing lightly on her feet. My eyebrow raises in surprise and admiration. 

"Like that? //You// should try the //refresher// course Manticore is offering. //Just// a few short months of //hell// and you too can be on //top// of your game," she says hotly, punctuating the words with a flurry of kicks and blows, faster than even Zack is capable of. 

Correction. Faster than Zack fighting one of us. He is so loathe to hurt us, even when we're "working out" our differences. As I defend myself, I wonder if it's a given that we end up working out our differences by fighting. It's the only way I've ever done things with my family: follow orders, or duke it out. 

But Brinn's left some edge behind. I hope it's not the one her sanity was on. She's fighting me like I've never seen, going all out. Man, I must've pissed her off something fierce. 

I'm in trouble, I realize. She lands several strong kicks to my abdomen, driving me farther and farther back into the next room. I start to concentrate on merely avoiding the blows and getting out of her reach, but I'm not having any success. I manage to connect on a few moves, but she seems to barely register them. 

What in God's name did they //do// to her? I can hear Cale yelling in the next room, but I can't take the time to listen. And Brinn's beyond listening. As I look at her, trying to dodge the next blow before it lands and mostly failing, I realize she's left herself behind somewhere, too. All I can see on her face is hurt and pain and confusion. 

"Baby sister," I say gently, and see something come back to life in her face. 

At precisely the wrong time, I drop a little of my guard. The blow she's too far into to stop falters as her anger does, and comes at me from the wrong direction. Neither one of us is ready for the way it lands, and I'm sent hurtling backwards, completely out of control. 

The front door to the hotel room opens, framing someone I see in a flicker as I turn my eyes to where I'm flying, realizing with growing horror that the extremely solid desk is on a direct path with my head. 

//Oh my, this is going to hurt,// is the last thing to pass through my head as stars spring forward and the world explodes in a kaleidoscope of images, Brinn fighting me, Max, Zack, Manticore, Lydecker, the faces of the men I've killed… 

A moan escapes me and I feel something wet slide down my forehead. Lydecker's screaming at me and I'm late for reveille… 

**Point of View: BRINN ***************************************** **

Damn Cale. Damn him for knowing what's going on in my head. My hand rises up and I deliver two more blows to that pretty face of his. All I can think about is how much I wish it were Max or Zack that I was slapping. And for a moment, I am slapping Zack. 

"Brinn! Desist that action, soldier!" Tinga's voice reminds me of Manticore. Of Zack. Of Lydecker. 

Who does she think she is ordering me around? 

"C'mon, Brinn, we need him alive. Relatively undamaged." She tries the soft approach. 

"Wasn't going to damage him...much," I reply, lightening my tone. She's stupid if she falls for it. "What's with the Manticore soldier talk, sis? You think you're in charge here, or something?" 

"You're not exactly reacting in a fashion that makes a lot of sense, Sis," she says softly. 

That's it. "Well, let me see if I can introduce you to my logic." I drop Cale on the floor, where he lands in an untidy heap. My fist speeds towards Tinga's most prized asset, her face. Then we're fighting. Fast and furious. I couldn't stop even if I wanted to. 

"Baby sister," she says. I feel my defenses start to fall. She does care. But it's too late to stop the blow I give her. I watch with horror as she flies through the air into a desk. Her body crumples to the ground just as the door to the hotel room opens. 

What have I done? 

"Who trained you people?" This comes from a guy in the doorway. "None of your barcodes have a 90210 in them." 

"Huh?" I'm stunned. What is he talking about? And who is he? More importantly, how does he know about barcodes? While I'm wondering about this, his eyes are exploring the room, searching for something . . . or someone. He takes in Tinga's crumpled form and walks over to her. Carefully, he feels for a pulse, then lifts her hair and looks at her barcode. I'm too stunned to stop him. He looks up at me and I can see on his face that she's alive, but badly hurt. 

"I'm guessing you're Brinn," he says. "That's not a nice way to treat your sister." 

What does he want? I have to get rid of this guy. 

"Who the hell are you?" I spit. He ignores me and barges into the next room. I follow and find him picking Cale up off the floor. 

Yeah right, I'm gonna let this moron take Cale. The only one that gets him is Max. 

"Sorry, pal, he's already taken." I lash out and plant a karate chop on the arm he's holding Logan with. It cracks sickeningly and he lets Cale drop back to the floor. Without a word, he stretches out his arm. The break becomes apparent. Then his arm stretches even further. He winces like he's scratching somewhere that's really hard to reach. The cracked bone slips forward as the muscles around it move like a giant snake trying to find a good position. Then everything contracts back and he clenches and unclenches his fist like he just worked out with a dumbbell. His eyes flash and he advances on me. 

Holy Sh!t. 

I block the hand that reaches for my throat, twisting it out of the way. He manages to block the punch I throw at him, but not as quick as another Manticore would have. He's transgenic, but he's not from Lydecker. 

Before I can wonder who sent him, he tries to sweep my legs out from under me while grabbing at my hair. 

"Do NOT touch the hair," I yell, spinning out of his reach and aiming a kick at his chest. It's like hitting a steel belted tire. He grabs my leg and pulls. I fall to the floor, but quickly regain my feet. He lands a lucky punch on my shoulder, and moves in for another one. I block and he reaches for me. Using his weight for momentum, I get a little leverage and throw. But he's holding on tightly, so I fly across the room with him. 

I end up going through the wall. Just before impact, I force myself to go limp so that it won't cause as much damage. I stand up and look through the me-shaped hole at him. He's flexing his arm, the one I broke. I take the opening and throw the side table at him. I don't stay to see whether he catches it or not. 

Outside there's a Harley parked next to our jeep. I start for the jeep, but then stop. Why the hell not? Max has one. And the jeep just isn't me. Soon I'm racing off on the freak's motorcycle back to Seattle. Tinga can take care of herself. I'm off to do what I should have done a while ago. 

**Point of View: TREAD*******************************************

Damn she's fast!!! I feel like I'm on the wrong end of bullet time!! I try to grab something but she spins out of my reach and does some weird running across the wall bit before racing at my midsection. 

Max put some serious damage on me before I pinned her down long enough to see she was one of the escaped. Brinn here… is way meaner. She's trying to hurt me. 

I catch her foot as she rebounds off my chest. She twists in mid air and lands crouched, but she was distracted and didn't see me fire off my left roundhouse punch. I glance off her shoulder knocking her off balance a little. I wonder why the hell I pulled my punch!! Before I can answer myself I try to swing again. She block the hit and starts using my force to throw me off balance, but to do that she has to stay in contact with me long enough to finish the move. I manage to get one of my Paws on her. 

We both flip through the air, but the hand that's holding her is on my busted arm, and when I hit a funny angle I twinge and she slips free. DAMMIT! 

The pent up momentum slingshots her, and she goes clean through the sheet rock wall! 

I land on my feet barely. Trying to massage the pain out of my arm with my constrictor muscles. A table launches at me from a doorway and as I smash it to pieces with my good arm I'm aware of a streak of black racing out the front door. 

I decide to just let her run. It's her problem. I have to figure out how I'm going to get to unconscious people back to Seattle. Neither of them is in any condition to drive. 

That's when I hear it. 

My adrenalin goes through the roof. 

I race outside in time to watch the b*tch take off on my Harley!!! 

I walk back in cursing a solid string of expletives. I walk over to Logan who's on the floor still out cold. I check him out and there's no serious damage. I pick him up and bring him over to a couch near the girl. I check look her over and see she's got a nasty head trauma. 

Guess the driving dilemma is solved. 

The girl speaks. "The failure is not the fault of the training, sir. It's my own."   
"No it's not." I say.   
"Why they hell they though abused children would make good soldiers in crazy beyond me."   
I pick her up gently, she starts to become more agitated.   
She whimpers, moans, in a voice that breaks my heart, "Zack! Don't go! You're the only family I've got!" 

"Calm down. It's Ok." I answer. 

As I carry her out to the Humvee she starts mumbling something else. I can't make out anything but a single word.   
"mwmmmwa … Bling … mwmwm"   
Only Bling I know is that butler dude of Logan's.   
She reaches up and touches my face gently. Her eyes glazed.   
"I'm glad your Ok." 

The hotel manager starts to come up screaming at me as I place her in the back of the vehicle. 

I growl at him, and he gets the idea to back away. 

I go in and pick up Logan. I place him in the front of the car and as I reach around to buckle his seatbelt his head falls over on my shoulder. 

"HmmMMmmm… I knew you'd rescue me… Max." 

HE GOES TO KISS ME!!!   
I grab his face and shove his head up straight. 

"Down Boy!" 

He starts to come too and blinks a few times. Then he sits up straight and start to turn beat red.   
"Tread… I… I mean." 

"Yeah. Careful where you point that thing. I almost had to finish killing you." 

As I walk around to the driver side I see the hotel manager still sulking around.   
I throw him a wad of $50 and take the opportunity to deliver a line from the sacred trilogy. 

"Sorry for the mess." 

Logan looks straight ahead as I start the car. 

"I didn't have my glasses on." 

"I don't know, you're kind of pretty for a straight guy." 

He glares at me and says nothing. 

**Point of View: LOGAN*************************************** **

My head hurts. 

A lot. 

Once again, I'm returning to consciousness and trying to figure out where the hell I am. It's painful. 

At least, that's the only excuse I can give myself right now, because even if I don't know where I am, I know what I did. I JUST TRIED TO KISS TREAD. 

Oh God. 

Talk about your unknown quantities. Tread is not my favorite person. But he can be useful, I guess, and at the moment I need all the help I can get. I look around at the inside of the Humvee, at the unconscious figure on the back seat. 

"What happened?" 

He grins. "You were feeling pretty affectionate, and my pretty face was too much to resist." 

I grit my teeth. "Right. And before that?" 

"Manticore One went through the wall and swiped my Harley. Manticore Two is in the back seat. Got a nasty bump to the head, seems to think she's back in training. When she's not muttering about that butler of yours." 

Her head probably feels like mine, then. But speaking of butlers...and I remind myself never to call him that...I feel in my jacket pocket. Cel phone is intact. Tinga and Brinn must have been more rattled than I thought, to forget to search a prisoner. 

Tinga starts getting agitated. She's thrashing around, yelling something about Eva. About getting out. About protecting her face. She's ranting and off balance, but she's trying to get out of the car. Tread goes back to control her.   
  
I look at my phone, trying to figure out where, or who, to call. Max will be the most worried. At least, I hope she will. But I don't know what Tread is thinking, and I need to get someone on the phone immediately, without waiting for a callback. 

Hopefully Bling should still have his cel on him. Hopefully he's got Max with him as well. Keeping one eye on Tread, wrestling Tinga into a seat belt, I dial the number. 

**Point of View: TINGA***************************************** **

My head hurts. A lot. It's hard to think. 

I see Eva, dead all these years, right in front of me. Whole. Healthy. And nine. Something about that bothers me, but I can't figure out what. She's smiling at me, assuring me it'll be all right. We have to get out of here. 

And then she's dead, falling before my stunned eyes, her head blooming a red puddle that swiftly spreads. I want to scream. But that would be a tactical error. 

Suddenly I'm running, crossing a field in an exercise. No, I'm in a club, dancing. I've got several pairs of male eyes looking at me...some with a glint of danger to them. I like danger. 

And now Lydecker's tying me up, in front of the pool. I'm being webbed into a cocoon and he's going to throw me in! He's making too many knots, more than I ever remember. There's no way I can get them all undone in time, even if I start before the signal! I struggle, flailing out, trying to free myself. The others are all watching, solemn eyes wide and serious. Why aren't they helping me? Lydecker finishes the webbing with a final //click// of something locking into place. I break training and give voice to my frustrations. "NO!" I cry out, pleading and rebellious and angry and frustrated and fearful all in one word. I hear voices off in the background, someone saying "Bling". I look up. 

And suddenly Lydecker is Bling, looking down at me with sadness and disapproval. "It could have worked, soldier," he said softly. "If only you weren't such a screwup." His face and tone of voice show infinite regret. His actions are just like Lydecker's. Using his foot, he shoves me toward the pool. 

"NO!" I shriek again. "BLING, DON'T!" And then I'm falling into darkness, bound and helpless... 

**Point of View: BLING***************************************** **

My head hurts… A lot!   
Brinn whacked me a good one in the car. 

So does my face. Tinga really sent me for a loop. 

Feels like I've been running on automatic since the hospital. Like I've been totally out of it. 

I'm carrying some of Logan's computer equipment into his cabin. 

Logan's Cabin! 

"Max, I just had a bad thought. Your military buddy back there knows where Logan lives. He can find this place too." 

She stops for a moment. "I know. But it's the most secure place we've got. It should buy us a day or two. I'll figure something else out then." 

She takes the computer stuff out of my hands and puts them on the dining room table where she's setting everything up. She's trying to be all business, but I can see she's worried. 

"Max, they have no real reason to hurt Logan. He's got to be worth more to them in good shape." 

She looks at me, and her brow furrows. 

"This is all my fault Bling. If I had listened to Logan… if I hadn't trusted Tinga…" 

"I was a little less than objective myself." I touch the bruise on my cheek. 

"It doesn't look… that bad?" She smiles meekly at me and I can tell she's lying. 

"Thanks… Let's get things set up and go get Logan back." 

"Right." She nods. Then she gets back to work. 

I pass Kendra and Cindy who are both carrying in other stuff. They surround Max and start to try and cheer her up a little. 

As I head back outside I hear something. It's a phone! My cell phone! 

I rush back in and start trying to find my jacket. The ringing gets louder as I lift it into the air. Everyone else has heard it now too and comes around. I pat the coat down, trying to find the pocket with the phone. 

In a moment eight hands are squeezing and feeling the coat. The phone is still ringing.   
Max finds the pocket with the phone in it. 

"Hurry Max! Hurry!" Kendra whines.   
"C'mon girl!" Cindy add. 

There's a ripping sound, and the phone flips out of the pocket and bounces under the couch. 

Max flips the couch over and we all dive for the phone now spinning amidst a small group of dust bunnies. 

Max reaches it first. She flips it open… 

"Hello? Hello?" 

Her face goes flat… 

"They hung up." 

She hands me the phone and goes back to the computer.   
I look down at the small LCD screen. It says 'Logan Cell' and flashes back and forth between that and his cell number. 

"Hey guys, it was Logan's Cell phone!" I hit a key and it dials the last number that called. 

The phone rings and Logan picks up almost immediately. 

"Logan? You okay?" Max rushes over and leans her head up to the phone, I turn it so we can all try and hear. 

"I've been better, but I think I'm Okay for the moment." 

In the background I hear Tinga mumbling incoherently except for one phrase… 

"NO! BLING DON'T" 

"Was that Tinga?" I ask Logan. 

"Yeah, she and Brinn got into it, she hit her head pretty bad, she's kind of out of it." 

In the background I hear a third voice, a rough male one.   
"Cale!!! Will you do something, she's trying to get out of the car and I'm trying to drive." The muffled voice commands. 

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a delusional X-5? Pull over!" 

There's a tire screeching sound. I hear Logan in the background. 

"What the hell is this?" He asks. 

"Myotron… It's a kind of stun gun. Disrupts brain waves that effect voluntary muscular control and aggression."   
There's a pause. The same voice speaks again.   
"It doesn't work on me. Wonky brain chemistry. Just in case you get any ideas." 

Logan gets back on the phone.   
"Sorry… a little preoccupied here." 

"Who was that?" I ask Logan. 

"Tread." I can here the irritation in Logan's voice. In the background Tread responds.   
"Yeah, I love you too." 

Max chimes in…   
"Tread? How did he get involved?" 

"Hi Max. I haven't asked him yet." Logan says.   
"Hi Max!" Tread calls out.   
"HrrmmrmphMax." Tinga mumbles in the background. 

"Where are you?" She asks. 

"Where headed back to Seattle." Logan responds. 

"NO DON"T! Logan, we had to break down everything and go to the cabin." Max exclaimed.   
"Lydecker… he was right in front of the building. He's probably on to you." 

"Lydecker? Max you might not be safe at the cabin." Logan answered with concern. 

Tread's voice added from the background.   
"Deck's been taken care of. He's a whole new man now." 

Max and Logan both said it at the same time.   
Max: "What did he do?"   
Logan: "What did you do?" 

There was no response but a slightly cruel laugh. 

"We'll meet you at the cabin Max." Logan said. 

"We have to stop in Seattle first." Tread added. 

"What for?" Logan asked. 

"I have to pick up a couple of important things." 

"You heard my Chauffer." Logan jibed. 

"Careful Logan" Max responded. 

"Will do." 

Logan hung up. 

"You sure he's going to be alright with guy." I ask Max. 

"If Tread was going to hurt him, he would have done it already. He sounded in a good mood anyway." Max responded. 

"This is the guy who crucified Mayor Steckler off the Space Needle after almost killing you and Logan, and wreaking the apartment a few months back?" 

She just nods and goes back to setting up the computers. He had no trouble stunning Tinga, even though she's in bad shape. And he ALREADY took care of Lydecker? It probably won't do any good, but I'm loading the shotgun with slugs. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	14. Big Sister

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forDet. Sung and Normal.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: LACEY ***************************************** 

My head hurts. But it wasn't enough for them to keep me in the hospital...especially not with all the serious cases rolling in, from the earthquake to the riots. 

I'm standing in front of Logan Cale's apartment. The downstairs lobby was left in disarray, the security guard nowhere to be seen. It looked like something had exploded in the elevator. Yellowish-white powder was everywhere. I thought back to my college days and realized it was the chemicals from a fire extinguisher. Much, much more than I used to see when the room parties would get out of hand. 

My head throbs, reminding me of the morning //after// a room party. 

I walk forward, stepping carefully over Logan's threshold. The door looks as though it's been broken in. 

Inside is chaos. There are several bottles laying on the kitchen counter, still open. A chair is knocked over. Things are scattered, broken. What looks like a person-sized hole is gracing one wall. I haven't seen this much damage since the Teke Spring Blast. 

And Logan's computer equipment - all of it - is gone. I think of my missing laptop and sigh in empathy. I take in all that I can, trying to touch as little as I can. Sure I need clues, but this is a friend's place. Well, an acquaintance, anyway. And he's going to be annoyed enough at the state of things as it is. 

Finally I figure I've seen enough. I pick my way carefully back out, and try to force the door shut. I'm partially successful. 

Back on the street, I hear a very frightening noise. The angry growl of a crowd of people approaching...rapidly. I start moving in the opposite direction, make about a block before I see them round the corner. I glance ahead...and see a line of cops, heading this way. 

Great. Just great. News story of the century, no way to record it, and soon to be strawberry jam caught between the proverbial rock and the hard place. I look around frantically. There's a bar tucked into a building in the middle of the street. The door is open and unbelievably, a sign says "Open." I bolt for it, slam the door behind me and frantically turn the lock. 

Panting, I turn around. It's a standard bar, with one exception. A large pathway has been made from door to bar, with...a skid mark? Looks to be from a motorcycle...on the floor. I look up. Every eye is on me. Well, almost every eye. There's an extremely drunken older man, military by his bearing, bruised and battered and covered in a remarkably familiar whitish-yellow powder, singing off-color songs to an adorable four year old girl. 

In the silence, his voice is clear, if not crystal. 

"A-roving, a-roving, since roving's been my ru-i-in...I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid," he sings lustily. 

The little girl pays him no mind, thrusts two fists firmly into what I now see is a very abused chocolate cake. She brings cake-filled hands up to her face, crams her mouth full of one handful. 

The bartender looks very weary. He ignores his two most colorful patrons, and nods to me. "Got a reason for doing that?" he asks 

I nod, moving to the bar and trying to find a relatively clean place to sit. The bar is packed...except for around the drunk guy and the little girl. Mentally shrugging, I settle in. "There's an angry crazed mob and the police looking to mix it up on your doorstep," I tell him. 

He springs into action, reaching low behind the bar and slapping a switch. There's a growl of a motor starting and metal shutters start rolling down from the ceiling by the window. The door is solid and secure. "Any other type of mob that you know of, lady?" he asks. 

"You know, you //could// be grateful you got the warning instead of the repair bill," I reply, hotly but as sweetly as I could manage. Catch more flies... 

"So what are you drinking?" he asks me gruffly. I start to shake my head and instantly regret it. He catches the gesture anyway. "Oh no, lassie," he says. "There may be an angry mob out there, but if you're not drinking, you're out. I got a business to run." I reach for my nonexistent purse and start to curse. 

"Hey, thash no way to treat a lady," Mr. Military says. "Here, I'll buy one for her." He waves a handful of bills at the bartender, who makes them disappear without even seeming to move. "Get her shomething shweet...you know, one of those fruity thingsh the girlsh sheem to like." 

He winks at the bartender, nearly knocking his jaw on the bar in the exaggerated movements of one truly three sheets gone. He then turns with a leer towards me. 

Oh well, I was going to pump him for questions anyway. Might as well take advantage of the situation. 

"Thank you!" I coo in the voice that has gotten me past more security checkpoints than I can count. "You are truly a gentleman. And an officer as well?" I ask, brushing off a bit of powder on his jacket to peer at the name. It read "Lydecker." "I love a man in uniform!" I say brightly. 

"Yah, I'm a sholdier," he slurs. "Good to have around for proteckshun. I know how to take care of people." He swaggers so much, he nearly falls off the barstool. The noise of the riot outside starts dying off. 

"Really? Were you taking care of someone when this happened?" I ask, leaning in close and dusting off his shoulders. He looks down at himself, appearing surprised at his state. He starts to brush himself off. 

"Ah...Ah'm not shure," he says. Confusion floods his face. "I wash with...a friend...and...now I'm here..." He sounds much younger and unsure of himself than the lines on his face indicate. 

Suddenly the door shakes with impact. Like everyone else, I turn to stare. Again it quakes, then a third time, and finally it bursts open. The figure framed in the doorway isn't all that large or impressive of itself, but I find the hair on the back of my neck rising, anyway. Something beyond reporter's instincts is telling me this person represents a threat, and a big one. 

"Tha'sh him!" my inebriated pal says joyfully. "Hey, buddy! We got the chucko'luck cake for Shandy here..." 

The imposing figure strides towards us. I gulp. I've faced a lot of things in my career, but this might be more than I'm prepared to take on… 

**Point of View: KENDRA***************************************** **

I was carrying computer stuff into the cabin while I was listening to Bling and Max talk. I'm still trying to absorb everything that's happened the past couple of weeks. I'm a little worried about Max but I know she will be okay. She's good at taking care of things. 

Suddenly I hear a phone ringing. It sounds like Bling's. Everyone goes running to see who it is and Bling drops it.It goes flying. I tried to get to it but Max beat me. By the time she answered it, Logan had already hung up. 

When I heard that he was okay, I felt the warmth of relief. This should help Max lighten up a bit and focus more. Maybe she won't try and get revenge since Logan didn't get hurt. 

Anyways, I can't help wondering who this Tread guy is, and what Logan is doing with him. Max certainly seems a little worried but she is more on the positive side. 

After Max hangs up the phone, everyone gets quiet like they are expecting an explanation or something. I'm not quite sure what is going on but if I need to know someone will tell me. 

So, I make another trip out to the car to get the last of the computer stuff. 

**Point of View: MAX*******************************************

Tread's voice echoes in my head: "Deck's been taken care of. He's a whole new man now." 

What does that mean? Knowing Tread, anything's possible. And I'm not liking the idea of him "rescuing" Logan. I thought I was the superhero here. 

Anyway, at least Logan's not with Brin and Tinga. 

Tinga. It seems that she's seriously hurt. Logan said she was delusional. And that mumble of hers that was directed at me, well, it sounded vicious. Somehow I get the idea that even in this 'delusional' state of hers she won't be happy to see me. The only person higher on her hit list is Zack. 

All in all, not a good sitch here. Hence why I'm going back there. 

"Bling, you're in charge," I say, handing him Logan's hard drive before he can refuse. 

"Where are you going?" He asks. "Logan said he'd meet us here." 

"But that's with Tread. I don't want him anywhere near this cabin. Nor do I want Tinga coming here, no matter how 'delusional' she is. We all learned to fake it at Manticore, so I'm not trusting her any farther than I can throw her." Or Brin, for that matter . . . 

"Max, be careful, Tread-" 

"I know Tread. For some reason only known to him, he's happy right now. But that could change. And I don't want Logan anywhere near him should that change." Those two don't always see eye to eye. 

Tread helped me once before, before I even knew he existed. Although, plunging the entire country into THE Great Depression just to cover 12 kids' a**es is a bit excessive. But then Tread never did do anything by halves. Neither would I. 

Besides, I left my baby back there. Wouldn't want her to get stolen. 

Bling shakes his head after me as I leave. I don't blame him. In this situation, any option is bad. 

Logan's Aztec works for a get away vehicle, but it's really no substitute for my Ninja. Speeding back to Seattle, a figure on a Harley passes me. A real Harley. 

Tread's Harley. 

But that was way too small to be Tread. But Tread wouldn't *let* any one take his bike. He and I are kindred spirits in that respect. 

THIS IS A TRAP, the voice in my head screams. And if it is, I don't like leaving Logan with Tread. And Tinga. 

Too late, I'm already trailing her. Flooring it, I catch up. Damn she's quick. Although I'll bet Tread's 'enhanced' his bike. For a second we lock eyes and I see my baby sister, the one Zack and I left on that bench. Then her eyes cloud over, and she looks . . . unbalanced. Maybe this isn't a trap . . . at least not the kind I thought it was. 

Brin veers off to the road. I pull the Aztec's steering wheel to the side, following her. 

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY****************************** **

I was carrying helping Bling (who was now wasn't moaning whenever he moved) hook up Logan's computers up on top of a large table. I was sitting there, mind still reeling from everything that had happened that day when it hit me. I was just thinking 'God, If I could find the idiot who made these Herbal Gummies....'   
"Oh My God! I got it!"   
Bling winced at my shout, and I might have felt bad for him if the adrenaline wasn't pumping through my veins. Kendra came running in to the room from the kitchen where she was trying to find some pain killers for Bling.   
"What happened? I heard you shout."   
"Bling you have the passwords right?" I asked waving my hands excitedly towards the computers.   
"Uhh..yea, why? Logan is ok now."   
"I figured it out. If we can find out who made the Herbal Gummies, we can find out how to cure the people and can get rid of them."   
"Right....and...?"Bling asked me. He must have gotten bashed on the head harder than I thought if he still wasn't getting it.   
"We can use Logan's Eyes Only stuff to find out where they are coming from." I said rolling my eyes.   
"Cindy, I hate to break it to you, but Logan worked for hours on it before the quake, and he still didn't find anything." 

"Well Roller Boy doesn't have Original Cindy's point of view. He probably didn't know where to look. Now come one and get this these things working!" 

**Point of View: TREAD**************************************** **

Unfinished business. That's why we're back in Seattle. Logan gave me the evil eye as I carried him through his lobby. He recognized my handiwork. Wasn't happy about his front door either. The funny thing was… he just looked at the Lydecker sized hole in the wall and smiled. 

"Again?" he asked. 

I just shrugged. Last time I was in Logan's apartment was when I tried to kill him. I made a real mess then. Well, Max helped. She made the holes instead of Lydecker that time. Broke 14 of my bones too. 

I plopped him in his chair and he paused for moment looking at the barren desk where his computer usually was. 

"I've got to collect some things." he said to me. 

"Me too. I'll meet you at the bar up the block." 

"Okay…" He gave me an odd look. 

"Myotron." I held out my hand. He hesitated. 

"Tinga's still in the car. It's the safest way to keep her from getting rowdy." 

He pulls it out and looks at it, then throws it to me.. 

"Since when are you into non-lethals?" 

"Since missing X-5's started turning up all over Seattle." 

I left him in his apartment. 

The elevator doors open. Tinga is standing right there. She shoves in past me and starts pressing buttons on the wrong side of the elevator. The side with no buttons. 

"What floor?" I ask, and motion her to the proper side. She smiles at me and wobbly leans over to press the buttons. As she does I hit her with the Myotron and she collapses into my arms. 

I carry Tinga back out to the Humvee and dump her in the back again. I try to unscrew the rear door locks and remember I'm dealing with an X-5, so what's the point. She could probably kick the door off as easily as I would. 

So I get in and I drive up to the end of the block. Logan's got his own wheels and it's not that far. 

I pull up in front of the bar at the end of the block. 

As I try the door, I realize it's bolted shut. 

I slam it once… and again. My version of knocking. 

I hear the locks all unlock at once. Guess the bartender decided to leave the door on its hinges. The door swings open with a bang. 

"Tha'sh him!" Lydecker says joyfully. "Hey, buddy! We got the chucko'luck cake for Sandy here..." 

Sandy?!? Oh The kid… I probably should have found out her name. 

Max, Tinga, Brin, Zack…. Sandy? I never chose a name for myself really. Even my current name is just a joke that no one ever got. Every time some one asks me my name say "Don't", the next time they ask I say "Tread", if they ask again I say "On me." 

I guess "Tread" is as good a name as any. It certainly fits me. I just hope some day WE can answer to Michael again. 

"Hi Mister." The kid says. "Did you find my mommy yet?" 

"Not yet." I answer as I walk up to her. 

Her face is covered in Chocolate and there's a woman standing there next to Zackdecker. 

The tactical kicks in as I check the woman out. She's taller than I am, sort of Asian. But what I notice most is the faint white powder on her hands. A quick glance at Deck and I see his name tag has been cleaned along with a few other spots. She's sitting on a bar stool, so as I pass by to the girl I flick back her long brown hair and check for a Barcode. 

She twinges a little as I do it and gives me a dirty look. I return the favor. 

"Looking for something special?" she quips. 

Her eyes get a crafty look. "So, you here to help my buddy back to base? I assume you serve with him." 

"You writing a book?" I smile at her with my best TV smile, filled with enthusiasm. 

"Something like that." She smiles and flips her hair back. 

"Yeah..." I change up to my hostile look, and let my genetic hum turn up a little. She winces.   
"Leave this chapter out." 

My attention dwindles as my threat assessment falls. I don't even realize it, but as I regain my focus I'm holding the little girl's face and cleaning it off with napkin that I dipped in a glass of water. 

I'm as puzzled by my own behavior as Logan is when rolls into the bar. 

It's gotta be one of those Mad Magazine "What's wrong with this picture" moments. 

A cold war killing machine is cleaning the face of a little girl next to the arch-villain who's been hunting his girlfriend. Of all the things I expect out of his dumbfounded mouth the one I didn't expect was… 

"Lacey?" 

He spins his chair and heads outside as fast as he came in. 

The woman rushes after him, glancing back at me as she goes. 

I hand the little girl to Zackdecker. 

"C'mon… Zack. We're outta here." I toss the bartender the other Thousand I promised him. 

**Point of View: HERBAL*************************************** **

It started out a blessed day indeed. The shower ran water that was not quite frigid, and I felt well rested after my two days off of JamPony. Who would know that it would merely take a sneeze in our fearless leaders face to allow him to see the enlightenment of allowing employees to take a day in solitary self-improvement. 

The streets are more unruly than usual, with brothers speaking in strange panic of 'Lydecker,' and 'Manti-something.' "Peace, my brothers," I tell them. "It's all good." Someone tries to take my watch, claiming that they need it to rescue some of our brothers called by x-5s. I explain to him that he must have patience, and embrace the completeness of life, and that the watch has its part to play on my wrist, but before I can explain enlightenment, he has run away, covering the back of his neck with one hand. 

JamPony appears busy, but with more chaos than usual. Normal looks queasy, and disoriented, and jumps whenever the phone rings. "Peace, keeper of my timecard," I tell him. He doesn't understand me, looks at me blankly and waves me off without a bip. 

Some soul with an understanding of the nature of give and receive has left a bag of gummies on the table in the staff area, and, having taken part in my morning religious rituals, I can feel the wisdom of my stomach urging me to sample them... 

**Point of View: BRIN*************************************** **

Good, she's following me. I veer off the road and take the Harley into the woods. And right through a nice puddle of mud. Have some mud pie, Max. 

Drat, she dodged most of it. Oh well, the Harley's smaller and faster than the Aztec. She won't be able to keep up with me. Speeding through the forest, I flash back to Manticore. Kids with guns slinking along on their stomachs. Escaping and Evading. Small figures in camouflage running between trees. 

Then barefooted kids in hospital gowns running through the dark night. Max. Me. Zack. Tinga. Jondie. Escaping and Evading. 

I escaped on my own two feet that night. Not like the night Max and Zack rescued me and then left me on that bench. My own siblings let them take me back to Manticore. 

I return to myself just in time to keep from crashing into a tree. Swerving to the right, I take the curve a little too hard and the bike tips out from under me. Launching myself off the handlebars, I flip over the front and land neatly on the ground. Max pulls the Aztec to a halt and jumps out. I guess here is as good a place as any for a fight. Time to pay the piper, Big Sister. 

"Brin," Max snarls, "you don't have to do this." 

"Oh yeah?" My fist is halfway to her face as I'm saying this. She blocks it an inch from her cheek. Then we're trading punches, as fast as we can. Max lashes out in a kick, and I jump back, jumping clear over the bike. 

Launching herself into the air, she clears the Harley too, and comes at me with a flying kick. Throwing myself to the ground, I dive under her and roll, coming up behind her. She whips around in a spin kick the second she hits the ground. I block, shoving her into a tree. She rebounds and tries to grab my arm. I twist out of her grasp and run up a tree, flipping and landing behind her again. 

"Behind you," I sneer, grabbing a fist full of her curls. I yank her head back, forcing her to look up at me. "Deserter," I spit, "traitor." 

"No, Brin, you're the traitor." Her voice is soft, but her face is hard. She grabs my shoulder, THE shoulder. Damn it hurts where that psycho managed to land one. She flips me over her head. I let go and fly, landing and rolling up to my feet. Hitting her with my forearm, I knock her down in the mud. 

"Mud," she says contemptuously. Hmm, so the princess doesn't like mud, does she? I kick a nice glob at her and it splatters on her face and in her hair. 

"Enjoy it, Maxie, mud's good for your complexion." 

She growls at me, and tries to get up, but slips in the mud and falls flat on her rear. Trying not to laugh out loud, I pull out a knife and lean down to slash one of the Harley's tires. Let her try to find a spare out here. I want to have some fun before I pay her back for her "help". 

She gets up and starts to come after me, but I open the Aztec's door and smash her in the face. Just hard enough to knock her back down in the mud and allow me to get away. Reversing direction, I pull the Aztec out of the woods and on to the highway. I turn in the direction she was coming from. I want to find out what's there. 

Hmm . . . . clues . . . let's see what he keeps in the glove compartment. I press the lock and it opens, sunglasses, gum, and change come tumbling out. There's also a cherry lip gloss. Max's, no doubt. There's also a cellie. 

Spare phone? Prolly. But it's handy. I need to call someone . . . 

It rings three times before the other end picks up. "Yes," a crisp voice replies. 

"It's 334984531. I need some information on a Logan Cale. Charlie-Alpha-Love-Echo. Does he have a second house?" 

"Our records show a cabin, fifty miles north of your position, 4531. What do you intend to gain by going there?" 

"Oh, just some bait." 

"I like your thinking, Brin." It's a rare moment when She calls me Brin. 

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'm on my way." 

"Oh, and should Col. Lydecker show up, you know what to do." Yes, I do. He'd never believe one of "his kids" would betray him. Fatal mistake. She hangs up the phone. 

Time to go find some bait . . . and play with the mice before I use them. I am part cat after all. 

It's not hard to find the cabin. Looks like there's three little mice inside. "Three blind mice, see how they run, three blind mice," I can't help singing to myself. Have I gone over the edge? Yes. Most definitely. 

I creep around the back and climb on to the roof. Lowering my upper body down, I peer in a window. Bling and two girls are standing with their backs to me, looking at a large computer set up. The blonde one presses a key. "This is a streaming freedom cable hack . . ." erupts from the speakers. Logan is Eyes Only? 

"Kendra!" the one with the afro puffs screams as the phone rings. Bling answers. 

"Hello? Logan?" 

I turn up my hearing and can make out Logan's voice. "We're on our way. We have an injured Tinga and . . ." there's a mumbling in the background, "Zackdecker, as well as Lacey. Let me talk to Max." 

"She's not here. Went to go find you." 

"Well, we'll catch up to her. By the way, don't let Cindy touch my computers, will you?" 

"Too late," Cindy mutters, "and it was Kendra, not me." 

"What???" Logan's voice becomes rather high pitched. 

"No harm done," Bling assures him. But I know Logan's panties are already in a wad. 

They're too occupied with the phone to know I'm coming. Taking hold of the window frame, I do a gymnast's flip, and land quietly on the floor. I sneak up behind them I take the phone from Bling. He spins around and does a double take. Reminds me of one of those dolls with the springy necks. 

"Remember me?" I ask sweetly. 

"Brin." Kendra and Cindy stare at me open mouthed. "What?? Brin??" comes from the other end of the phone. I deck Bling, knocking him flat. 

"Hello, Logan. Bling's a little occupied right now." With a touch of my finger, the connection is cut. Tossing the phone aside, I grin malevolently at Kendra and Cindy. "I'm Max's Baby Sister," I explain, "The one she betrayed."

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	15. Close Combat

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: If you're reading, PLEASE REVIEW. _

_ _

_We still need new writers forZack, Det. Sung, and Normal.Please visit the RPG folder at [www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start][1]__ for information, or contact me at [**jennem@bigfoot.com**][2] _ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: LOGAN ***************************************** 

My apartment hasn't been this wrecked since the last time Tread was here. Remind me to stop inviting that guy over. Oh, wait, I didn't. 

Looks like Max cleaned out the equipment pretty well. She missed the surveillance tapes, though. Possibly because I never mentioned them. I can't watch them with all the equipment gone, but I take them with me. I'd really like to know exactly what went on here. Matching Tread's story up to the visuals might help me figure out what his deal is. 

Only thing I can do in the meantime is keep an eye on him. 

I head down to the bar, and open the door to the last scene I expected. Tread is cleaning the face of some little girl, Lydecker is eating chocolate cake, and the entire scene is being recorded by... 

"Lacey." 

D*mn. I turn and leave the bar. Lacey is the last person I need to deal with right now. I could grab the car and Tinga... 

And leave Lacey alone with Lydecker and Tread. Like Tread, she's better off where I can see her. I can always have Tread knock her out. 

I did not think that. I didn't. I know she's annoying. But there's no way I allowed myself to contemplate asking a genetic mutant with no conscience to injure someone in cold blood. No matter how many times she's screwed up my work. 

I turn back into the bar. Lydecker is muttering something about getting back to base. Guy doesn't look too good. Once again, it's going to be a case of keeping him where I can see him. 

"Tread, we should get going. Bring your military friend..." 

"Zackdecker," he replies. Oh, a sense of humor too. 

"Right. Zackdecker, we can help get you closer to your base. And Lacey, we're heading out of the city. Might be safer for you to come with us than stay here." 

Lacey looks speculative for an instant before her face goes innocent.   
"Well thank you, I certainly appreciate the invitation." 

"Let's go then," I tell Tread. 

"Sandy's coming too," he tells me, gesturing to the kid. 

I consider arguing, but his expression shows there's no room for negotiation. Seems he's got a soft spot for her. That could be an advantage. 

"Fine, just get everyone into the car." 

Tread works on arranging a limp Tinga, an excited Zackdecker, a chocolate-covered Sandy, and a sweet-faced Lacey into the back of the cramped Humvee while I call the cabin again. Bling answers. 

"We're on our way. We have an injured Tinga and Zackdecker, as well as Lacey. Let me talk to Max." 

"She's not here. Went to go find you," Bling says. 

"Well, we'll catch up to her. By the way, don't let Cindy touch my computers, will you?" 

I can hear her in the background. "Too late," Cindy mutters, "and it was Kendra, not me." 

"What???" D*mn, I hate it when my voice goes up like that. But either of those women touching my computers...d*mn. 

"No harm done," Bling assures me. I'm not buying it. 

There's sounds of a commotion and a female voice in the background.   
"Remember me?" 

It's not Max, so it can't be good. I hear Bling again. "Brin." 

"What?? Brin??" I say, although it sounds like he's too far to hear me. There's a crash. 

"Hello, Logan. Bling's a little occupied right now." 

Brin. Brin, Bling, Cindy, Kendra, and my computers. And Max is gone. 

D*mn.

**Point of View: BLING***************************************** **

My head hurts… again… still… more…!   
I'm dizzy and nauseous. Sure sign of a concussion. I try to get up but I realize my arms are tied behind me. My legs are tied too. Brin has Cindy and Kendra tied back to back.   
She's laughing and spinning around in the only office style chair up here. 

"I can't wait to dangle you in front of big sister." 

I try to get to my knees… but I just fall over.   
If I live through this I have to have Max show me a way to block a punch from an angry X-5. 

"Wakey wakey?" I hear Brinn say. 

I feel the cold edge of the shotgun barrel dig into my cheek. 

I roll over and look up at her… she smiles sweetly at me.   
She flops down on the floor next to me face to face. 

"Hey stud… think you and I could go to dinner some time. Ya know, since Tinga's out of action." She chuckles. 

"B*tch!" I manage to get out. 

She rolls on her back arching it slightly and pouts at me. 

"What's a matter… You don't like me? Not attractive enough?" 

It's not intentional, it's the concussion. But it is a fitting reply… 

I throw up. 

She's on her feet before my vision is cleared… 

"Oh gross!!! A 'No' would have been fine you sonava…" 

A boot fills my vision and I'm back in darkness. 

**Point of View: MAX*******************************************

Of all the things to land in, it had to be mud. Mud. It took me an hour and a half to get the mud out of my hair the last time. I want a hot shower, badly. But I'm out here in the woods, with Tread's Harley, flat tire thanks to Brin. When I get my hands on her . . . 

Focus, Max, focus. Fix the tire first. Then catch up to her. Although by the time I fix it, Brin'll be long gone. Damn . . . Tread better have a tire kit, thought I'm not relishing the thought of rummaging in his motorcycle's saddlebags. Who knows what he has in there. 

Taking a deep breath, I reach into the first one. Something pointy pokes me. Pulling it out, I find myself holding a key chain made from Red implants. God Damn! How'd he get them?? Not something I'd like a key chain of . . . Reaching back in, I find more of Tread's "treasures"; multi-purpose tools, an empty canteen, some 9mm ammo, a pack of cinnamon Altoids, some papers . . . 

Zack's barcode catches my eye. What the hell is Zack's barcode doing on papers of Tread's? They're classified memos and other papers all about Manticorny Gummies . . . apparently Zack's memories are the active ingredient. Explains a lot. 

Gotta get these to Logan. Rolling them up and stuffing them in my pocket, I continue to search for a tire kit. My fingers brush all sorts of things, including what feels like a jelly doughnut . . . finally my hand touches a metal cylinder. Fix-A-Flat. 

Getting to work, I patch the slash Brin put in the tire. There's a small pump in the other saddlebag, and I refill the tire until the pressure is good. Picking up the Harley, I wipe most of the mud off of it and move it to solid ground. Now where did Brin go??? 

There are tracks where she wheeled the Aztec out of the mud. She's headed in the direction I came from. The cabin. Damn. 

Jumping on the motorcycle, I speed back on to the road. Damn, why'd I leave my cell in the Aztec?? I need to call Bling, call Logan, warn them. Pushing the Harley as fast as it will go, I race to the cabin. 

Hiding the bike nearby, I creep up on Logan's cabin. Looking in the window I see Brin circling Cindy and Kendra, waiving a shotgun around. Bling's out cold. I can hear Brin chatting with them in a maniacal manner. 

"Three blind mice . . . three blind mice . . . although you're not blind, are you?" she leans down, putting her face in Cindy's. 

"I can see you a hot enough girl, but Original Cindy doesn't go in for the whole bondage dealio." She's nervous, but trying to play it cool. 

This makes Brin angry. She bashes Cindy in the head with the butt of the shotgun, causing Cindy's head to bump Kendra's. It wasn't hard enough to knock either of them out, but they're both grimacing in pain. 

That's it. Taking a running leap through the window - sorry Logan, I'll pay you back for it - I land in a roll, coming up to my feet. Brin swivels around to face me. 

"Aw, you got here too quick . . . I wanna have more fun," she says, tilting her head to one side then the other like a demented parakeet. 

"Fun's over Baby Sister," I growl, taking an attack position. I kick the shot gun out of her hands. It flies in the air and I go to catch it, but Brin tackles me, and the gun lands on Logan's desk. The impact causes it to fire, and the shot ricochets off the plastic, taking a chip out of it. 

Logan's not going to be pleased. 

Flipping Brin, I jump to my feet and find Brin on hers. She throws a punch, missing me, but immediately whips a spin kick that cracks me on the shoulder. She's not holding back. Not at all. 

She grabs a chair and hurls it at me. I duck and it crashes against the wall. Another chair is flying at me almost immediately. This one hits. While I'm on the ground, she goes for the gun. I jump to my feet, ready to kill. The Brin that was my baby sister is gone. 

She's pointing the gun at Kendra, Cindy, and Bling. "Which one, Maxie? Choose . . . you can't have all of them . . . Which one is it? Tinga?" She points the gun at Cindy. "Logan?" She points it at Bling. "Zack?" She points it at Kendra. She's really lost it. 

"What's wrong, Brinny? Can't hit a moving target? So you've got to hit the ones that can't?" She's fuming, but her attention has been drawn away from them. "Catch me . . . if you can." I jump over the windowsill and run. I know she'll follow. 

**Point of View: MAX****************************** **

50 Miles… Brinn has compromised this Cabin. 

Going to take me 45 min at least, that's if I can blow through sector checkpoints without too much hassle. 

Plus the damn Hummer is overcrowded. WHY we're taking the civilian in beyond me, but I don't have time to argue. 

I sit Sandy on the woman's lap. Prop Tinga up in the middle. And stuff Zackdecker into other side behind Logan. 

That's another thing… 

I walk back around to Logan who's on the drivers side. He's got that look like some one put him in charge of all this. I open the drivers side door for him. 

"You wanna drive? Boss." I glare at him. He's been talking down to me like I'm some kind of sidekick. 

"I can't." He glares right back at me. 

"ReeeeaAAAlly?" I reply with sarcasm and slam the door. 

I walk around behind him and start pushing his wheel chair around to the passenger's side. 

"Wait!!!" He says, slightly P.O.ed! "Can I unlock the wheels first?" 

"Sorry… Didn't notice." I respond. 

"Freak." he whispers sort of under his breath. I let that slide. He's got major cajones talking to ME like that. I admire that. Lucky him. 

"Logan, don't call him Zackdecker. The Manticorny is laced with copied memory engrams from … the real Zack I guess. I fed Deck a full bag. He probably knows 90% of what the real Zack does." 

"Are you insane!!! Zack knows where all the X-5's are." 

"The memories are unstable, probably won't stick. In the mean time call him Zack. I convinced him he had plastic surgery to make him look like Lydecker. Let's keep him on our side at least till I have to kill him." 

Logan looks at me a little taken back. I open the Passenger door and start to load him in.   
"I can do it myself!" he barks at me.   
"Fine." I say calmly, "But we're in a rush and I have to pack your chair."   
I dump him out of it onto the street by the car gently enough to not damage anything but his ego. 

I fold the chair and walk off in one motion, dumping it in the storage area in the back as I go around. 

I get in as Logan struggle onto the seat, red faced and bordering on rage. 

"Good job! And you did it ALL by yourself." 

His glare focuses from me tot he road ahead. 

"Drive!" 

"Fasten you seat belts people… Cause we ain't stopping!" 

**Point of View: KENDRA*************************************** **

It didn't take long to set up the rest of the computer stuff. I haven't really been around computers before so I decided to press the little green button to see what it did. As soon as I did it, Original Cindy screamed at me, and the phone rang. Bling answered it, I figured Logan was on his way back. Just then, someone came in, I thought to myself, is that Brinn, just as Original Cindy said her name. 

Brinn immediately attacked Bling. She ran up to him and punched him so hard he went flying across the room and knocks him out. The she turns to Original Cindy and me. At this point I'm starting to get a little scared. She grabs Original Cindy and starts to tie her up. Original Cindy tries to fight back, but Brinn is to strong. When I go to help Brinn kicks me out of the way and I land practically on top of Bling. I shake him to try to get him to wake up and all he does is let out a moan. I decide to try and run for it. I should warn Logan so he doesn't get caught by surprise on his way back. 

Brinn seems to know what I'm thinking. She runs to me and throws me over by Original Cindy. I think to myself dam this girl is strong. The next thing I know I am tied up behind Original Cindy and Bling is tied up too. 

Brinn grabs a shot gun and starts chanting "Three blind mice ... ". I don't think she could get anymore annoying. And then Original Cindy starts talking to her. She's got the right idea by playing it cool; however Brinn seems to be getting annoyed. Just when I'm about ready to tell Original Cindy to shut up, Brinn hits her, and her head slams into mine. Dam I'm going to have a headache for a while. 

Then Max jumps through a window and kicks the gun out of Brin's hand. I'm so glad to see Max. I'm kind of getting the feeling that whatever going on here is the past Max didn't fill me in about. I'm going to have some questions for her if we ever get out of this. 

Brinn somehow got ahold of the gun again and poinst it at Original Cindy and me. I don't really remember what happened after that but, Max was out the window and Brinn was following her. 

I sigh with relief that Brinn is finally gone.   
"Hey are you all right Original Cindy?" 

She replies "Yeah, ... sure." 

"I think we should try and find a way to untie ourselves before anyone comes back. I don't want Brinn to have any more fun." 

"I'm with you girl" 

We start trying to scoot over to the desk that is near by in hopes of finding scissors or something sharp that we can cut the ropes with. We hear something move. It sounds like Bling is awake. 

**Point of View: LOGAN*************************************** **

All I want to do at this moment is lock Tread and Lacey in a room and let them do each other in. 

Tread's determined to humiliate me at every opportunity. And right now he's getting too many opportunities. 

He's driving like a maniac. Fitting since he is a maniac. I should have done it myself. But considering the number of head traumas I've had this week, driving seemed like a bad idea. 

At least I can get us through the sector police. When I was in the penthouse I grabbed all the passes I had stashed away. Fortunately there were some left from Lauren and Sophie's tenure, so there were no questions about the kid. Tread almost had a look of respect there, for a second, when I got us through the sector. Almost. 

We're getting closer to the cabin and I have no idea what to expect.   
Lydecker's looking out the window, pointing out landmarks on his way back to "base." Tinga's still out, although she's occasionally muttering something I can't quite hear. The kid is sitting on Lacey's lap, covering her with chocolate and pestering her with ten questions a minute. Lacey's starting to look less complacent by the minute. In fact, panic seems to be creeping in. Good. 

We're getting closer. Tread's still doing seventy. 

"Tread, do you think we should try to approach quietly, see what the situation is before we burst in there?" 

"Nope." 

Guess not then. Tread roars up to the cabin, slams on the breaks, and jumps out. He goes straight for his bike. 

"Ly...Za...you, can you get my chair please? We need to stop here before we move on to base." 

Lydecker nods eagerly. Yanking out my chair, he comes around to my side of the car and throws me into it. 

"I could have done that....never mind. Why don't you get the women out of the car and stay here for right now?" 

Lydecker gives me some sort of strange salute and grabs Sandy from Lacey. I head to the cabin. Don't know what I'll find, but seems like there's no one else to look until Tread stops fondling his Harley. 

What I find is Cindy and Kendra reviving a half-unconscious Bling. Cindy looks up. 

"About time you got here." 

"I was delayed. What happened?" 

"Someone named Brin or something showed up, took Bling out, and tied us up. Max shows up, the bad chick threatens to shoot us, Max jumps out the window, and she follows. Kendra and me got ourselves untied and..." 

I don't hear anything past the part about Max out there with an armed Brinn. 

Until I hear the gunshot. 

**Point of View: MAX*************************************** **

"What's wrong, Brinny? Can't hit a moving target? So you've got to hit the ones that can't?" She's fuming, but her attention has been drawn away from them. "Catch me . . . if you can." I jump over the windowsill and run. I know she'll follow. 

Sure enough I hear her growl low in her throat and give chase. Good, got her away from Cindy, Kendra, and Bling. Now I just need to hold on until Logan and Tread get here. 

Brin is out for blood. She's gone off the diving board into the shallow end. She's not holding back. I don't want to kill her, but I'd rather it be her than Cindy, Kendra, Bling, Logan . . . 

Something hits my back, sending me sprawling. I roll, just in time to get out of the way of a shot. Thanks, Sis, but I'm not looking to accessorize with a shot to the head. 

Jumping to my feet, I spin kick, and the gun once again flies through the air. This time I catch it. "Fist fight, no toys," I say, throwing the gun into the woods. She watches it go, then turns on me with a malicious glare. 

"If you say so," she drawls, then her hands claw for my throat, my face, my eyes. I grab her wrists. She tries to pull, trying to get my to move my center of balance so that she can flip me. 'Angle, base, leverage,' I remind myself. That's all there is to Siljat (Javanese Martial Art). Planting a foot between hers, I dig my hip into her lower back and I can feel her shift, pulling harder. A foot sweep takes her to the ground. 

But she grabs my ankles and I go down on to the cold ground. Ouch, that's gonna be a nasty bruise where my leg hit rock . . . 

Brin leaps up, and throws her self on to me. We grapple, rolling over and over, each one trying to stay on top, while she tries to strangle me and to scratch out my eyes. Planting my feet firmly in her stomach, I kick, throwing her off me and using the momentum to propel myself to my feet. 

Brin's on me in an instant, hitting and kicking and clawing. I kick her, but she grabs my ankle and throws me back against the side of the cabin. I can hear something crack. This is not good. Ignoring the pain, I go after her. 

Sh!t! She's searching the woods . . . she saw exactly where that gun landed. I start after her, but I stop, clutching my arms to my chest and dropping to my knees. Not a seizure . . . no . . . I'm shaking violently . . . Getting to my feet, I stagger after Brin. She turns, shotgun in hand, and cracks the butt of it against my head. 

Ignoring the throbbing in my head, I launch my self at her, tearing the gun from her hands. I can feel my nails ripping below the skin as I pry it from her fingers. I toss it aside. 

But it's not enough. Brin backhands me, sending me sprawling dizzily on the ground. Every inch of my body aches, showing the marks of the battle. My lip is split in two places, there's a bruise on one cheek, a possible broken rib . . . 

Black spots swim around my field of vision. They start to group, threatening to block out all my vision. I can barely see Brin standing over me, shotgun aimed. 

"Goodbye, Big Sister," she sneers. 

I'm vaguely aware of what sounds like a Humvee driving up. Someone's yelling . . . sounds like Logan . . . And then there's a loud crack that splits the air and everything goes black . . . 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/start
   [2]: mailto:jennem@bigfoot.com



	16. First Aid

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: For those who are sick of the cliffhangers, I'm actually just re-posting an RPG here, and I'm really far behind what's already been written.If you want to read on ahead, go to [**www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages**][1] , go to the folder marked RPG, and find the thread called The LTB Invitational.There you can see the story up to today's posts, and there are new additions almost every day._ __ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: TREAD ***************************************** 

"Hey B*tch! You forgot this!" 

Brin looks up from Max just in time to see 700lbs of Harley Davidson flying at her sideways like a gigantic boomerang. 

I don't know if it's luck, chance, or my subconscious getting in the way, but the rear tire makes contact with her mid section, sending her flying with the bike bouncing after her. 

I want to go over and make her eat the damn thing… but Max is laying there in sad shape, and the bike crashes over on top of Brin, pinning her. 

I quickly check Max out to see if she is still among the living. She's breathing regular. A little stressed, but regular. 

I hear the dull clonking sounds of the bike moving. I look back and see Brin is still pinned but taking aim with the shot gun again. 

The world moves in slow motion. Brin is still hurt pretty bad, so the gun wobbles as she aims. If I can dodge a Manticore aiming at me, a real gamble considering they can track faster than I can move, Max will be hit from this angle. 

I scoop Max up in my arms, risking moving her with unknown injuries, and tuck myself up into a ball in the line of fire. The shotgun blast slams into my back, knocking me forward onto my knees and a little on top of Max. 

My gamble paid off… The shotgun was loaded with heavy buckshot and not slugs. Still hurts like hell, but my Kevlar vest plate, built into my jacket caught most of it. 

I'll have to dig the three pieces of shot that hit ME out. Later. 

I look up and see the rear door of the cabin burst open as Logan almost flips himself over, trying to take the step that was evidently not modified for wheelchair access yet. 

He can cover Max while I subdue Missabitchy!   
I spin around, facing Brin who's trying to wiggle out from under the Harley. I launch myself, panther-like at her. 

It's too much ground for me to cover in a single bound, so when my hands hit the dirt I use my momentum to flip. 

I'm low and I ball up tight as I spin picking up speed. When I land, my feet send clumps of dirt and sod flying at Brin's body as she finally pulls herself from under the bike. 

I know from my tussle with Max when we first met that Manticore love to do those pretty high jumps to get away from adversaries. I'm close enough to the Harley to rip out the chain from the motor's drive mechanism. With the same motion, I slash the chain high into the air. 

Surprise b*tch. Speed is great! Skill is better!   
Brin was already turned around and sending a kick at me. Not only do I manage to block it, mostly by chance, but Mr. Bike Chain slashes her upside her head and across an eye. 

As she lands on her feet, holding her face, I see she's a little crumpled over to one side where the rear tire hit her. 

My turn! 

I brace the arm with the bike chain on the ground and swing my body into the air. Both feet push kick her in her 'soft' side. 

She lets out a surprised yelp as she flies through the air out of control. 

She lands on her other side, on her shoulder, and twists again…letting out a wailing moan this time.   
It's the shoulder where I hit her back at the hotel. Guess I tagged her harder than I thought. 

I snap back up onto my feet. She crawls herself back into a crouched kneeling position and looks at me wide eyed. I see fear run over her face for the first time. 

She wheezes a little as she draws a breath, and coughs as she exhales. A trickle of bright red blood runs down her lip and drips onto the ground. 

She regains her composure and glares at me as she wipes her bottom lip. But it falls apart as quickly as it came when she sees the blood on her hand. 

I slowly start to advance on her. She slowly backs up until she's at the corner of the house. 

Her eyes are locked on me until and she starts dragging herself upright along the side of the house. 

From around the corner Lydecker run out. Gun in hand. He points at Brin.   
I figure, we got her. I figure wrong. 

He looks at her, still a little drunk and fuzzy… 

"Baby Sister?" He turns the gun at me… "What are you doing you psycho! I should've know you were working for Lydecker." 

I'm sure Lydecker is a good shot, as is Zack, but between the alcohol and the normal human senses I have no trouble dodging him. Brin look totally confused now. 

"It's me, Zack, I've had plastic surgery to look like Lydecker! Get out of here, I'll hold this guy off." 

Brin stares at him. There is no way the look on her face could be anything but skepticism.   
Still, as he starts shooting at me, she takes the opportunity to run. 

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" I yell at him. 

"Protecting my sisters!" He fires off a few more shoots! "Dammit! I'm never this slow!" 

His gun is empty and he runs around the corner after Brin. 

I stop and look back at Logan. 

"Go. I'll take care of her!" he yells. 

I grab my busted up Harley and start pushing it like a scooter. 

The Hummer had to spin around before Brin could make a run for it. I coast down a small hill on an intercept course with it getting up enough speed to catch up. 

My timing is perfect. I pop a small wheelie at just the right moment and wedge the front wheel of the Harley into the front wheel well of the Hummer. Metal and rubber twists and mangles on both vehicles, and my momentum throws me half way through the passenger's side window. Tinga is still in the back! My Harley whips end over end slamming my legs as the untied vehicles start to spin out of control. 

Brin panics and the lets go of the wheel to fight with me. 

Tinga comes to, with all the bumps and bangs. She sees Brin and grabs her. 

Through the windshield I see what's left of my Harley flying over the hood of the Humvee. 

Then the whole car begins to flip over…   
Brin is slammed up against the drivers side door as the passenger side raises in the air dropping me head first on top of her. Tinga fairs a little better in the empty back seat. Arms, legs and little military gadgets are flying everywhere. 

All I can do is brace and wait for everything to stop rolling. 

**Point of View: JONDIE**************************************** **

When we finally reached Logan's apartment, I felt like I had been walking for hours. My foot was screaming for relief, but I continued to ignore it. It was a little trick that I'd found very useful at Manticore. All the other X-5's had their physical strengths except me. Max had excelled in escape and evade, Zack in hand-to-hand combat, but none of them had a stronger mind than I did. I could suppress my emotions, ignore extreme amounts of pain, forget everything I knew, and recall it with ease. It had been my mind that had gotten me through the hell of Manticore. Whenever I wasn't good enough for 'dear old dad' I'd just push away the frustration, ignore the pain, and focus my anger on the objective. I might not have been the strongest little soldier, but I was the most intense. 

The sight that met our eyes when we walked into Logan's apartment was something that neither of us expected. The entire apartment was trashed, and there was a person-sized hole in one wall and liquor bottles scattered around the kitchen. 

"What in the world happened here?" I ask in amazement surveying the damage. Despite the mess, I've never seen anything this nice in my life. Obviously Cale has some money. Zack merely grunts some kind of reply as he begins methodically checking the apartment. "Always the soldier," I thought and rolled my eyes. 

"It's gone," he says looking slightly surprised as he walks back into the living room where he left me. 

"What's gone?" 

"All of Logan's computers and equipment. They're gone." 

"Do you think Lydecker was here?" 

"No. He wouldn't have any need for Logan's computers. They must have come back here and gotten them." 

"Where would they go?" I ask and watch Zack's face go through a spectrum of emotions. He's obviously remembering something, but I decide that it's better not to ask. 

"Cale has a cabin a little ways outside of the city," he says tersely. Suddenly he looks at me his face filled with concern. "Can you make it?" 

"Of course I can," I answer, pushing away the pain in my foot. 

"C'mon. It's time to save your big sister," he says leading the way out of the apartment.

**Point of View: LOGAN**************************** **

Bling is finally reviving when we hear the gunshot. Kendra and Cindy jump, Cindy looks like she's about to start outside. Kendra looks like she's about to panic. 

I know the feeling. Max is outside with a psychotic X5, a delirious X5, and a drugged Lydecker, and one of them just got shot. 

Logic takes over. "Stay here," I tell Cindy and Kendra. "Help Bling. We might need him." 

More crashes coming from somewhere outside. I yank open a cabinet near the door, grab the gun and clip concealed in the back. 

I try to get out fast, but it's not easy. Godd*mn chair. Godd*mn step. 

I barely get down before Tread tosses Max into my lap and turns back to Brin. 

Max is breathing but she's dead weight. I'm trying to inventory her injuries while keeping an eye on Tread and Brin. Max has blood dripping down the side of her face. Looks like the bullet skimmed the side of her head, enough to knock her out but thank God not enough to kill her. The rest of her is not in much better shape. 

Brin's not looking too good either, and Tread is a match for her, so I focus on trying to stop Max's bleeding. 

Until the gunshots resume and instinctively I try to cover Max. 

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Tread yells. Lydecker is shooting at him, covering for Brin. Fortunately he's a lousy shot when he's drunk. When he runs out of bullets he runs around the corner after Brin. 

Max moans. And oh God, starts to shake. 

Tread looks over. "Go. I'll take care of her!" I yell. 

Somehow, I will never know how, I get Max and myself up the step and into the cabin. Bling is standing and looking only slightly disoriented. "What's going on?" 

"She's been shot, she's beaten up, and she's seizing." 

From outside there's another crash. 

**Point of View: LYDECKER************************************* **

I'm not sure what's wrong with me, and quite frankly I don't care right now. I must still be having after-effects from the anesthetics used during the plastic surgery. That could be the only reason why I'm this slow. 

I didn't trust that psycho from the start, and as I watched him attack my baby sister, I knew he was working for Lydecker. I heard the fighting and came around with my pistol in hand. Tread was supposed to be protecting Max, but there was Max in pretty-boy's lap, and nutcase was attacking Brin. B*stard! 

"Baby Sister?" I call out to her. She looks rather skeptical. No wonder since I didn't even know myself after the surgery. I pointed the gun at Tread. "What are you doing you psycho! I should've know you were working for Lydecker." 

I fired several times, but the monster must have had as good of training as us. He managed to dodge every shot. Damn! Brin was totally shocked. 

"It's me, Zack, I've had plastic surgery to look like Lydecker! Get out of here, I'll hold this guy off." I yelled to her. She wasted no time running like hell. Good girl, I thought. 

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" he yelled at me. 

"Protecting my sisters!" I shout, and fired the rest of my clip at him. "Dammit, I'm never this slow!" I take off after Brin rather that do some hand-to-hand with Tread. 

Brin is gaining ground on me easily. She's heading to the hummer. She jumps in and starts it. She sees me, and I veer off a little, reloading my gun. Everything is so wobbly right now. She had to go uphill a little to whip around, and pick me up, but Tread was suddenly flying down the hill on his busted up Harley. For a second I was sure my heart was going to stop as the two vehicles collided, and then suddenly began rolling down the hill. 

I'm after them in a second. They roll over and over, landing upside down. I ended up tripping (a first for me) and rolled half-way down the hill, ending up splashing into the ice-cold stream meandering down the hill. The coldness makes me feel way more alert as I run the last few yards to the hummer. 

Tread is trapped, half of his body in the hummer, his legs pinned under, stuck through the window. The only thing keeping him from being crushed alive was the Harley was jammed in the wheel well, giving him some support. He's pretty dazed, and somewhat unconscious, but I know he'll be ready for action way too soon. 

Tinga is struggling in the backseat. She looks shocked to see me, but that's acceptable. "It's me, Zack," I tell her. She looks doubtful. Damn, this was good surgery. "When you were ten you had a puppy named Mr. Sparkles," I say quickly. That was something Lydecker wouldn't know. Her eyes widen, and she lets me help her out of the car. We get Brin out, and I realize that we only have seconds before Mr. Ugly is back in the game. 

Tinga looks like she wants an explanation, but I pick up Brin and make a hand gesture. Escape and Evade. She hesitates, and I give her my best CO look. She knows what I mean. We start running through the woods. I can't believe it's so hard to carry Brin. It must be the anesthetics. Tinga takes her from me, and we slip through the forest. 

If Max is working with Tread, then she must be in league with Lydecker. It makes sense now. She took crazy chances around me so that I would get caught. I'm the gateway to the other X-5's. No wonder Lydecker never raided her boyfriend's place despite his problems keeping things classified. They probably had drinks there all the time. The thought of a drink causes something to flash in my mind like when you try to remember a dream when you wake up, but can't. Irrelevant to the mission at any rate.

**Point of View: KENDRA************************************** **

Original Cindy and I are trying to revive Bling when Logan comes in the door. The sound of him entering scared the crap out of me. I'm just glad it's not that crazy girl with the shotgun. Dam I can't even remember what her name is. 

A little bit later I heard a gun go off. My first thoughts jump to Max. I hope she is okay; however she seems like she can take care of herself. Then Logan starts yelling. He tells me to stay here. He's got nothing to worry about, I for one, am not going to wonder out there with that girl on the loose. She scares the sh!t out of me. 

Just as Logan gets down the stairs, this guy puts Max down on his lap. I am going to have to guess this guy is Tread. Max looks like she is really limp. For a moment I think she is dead then I see her start to shake. I run over to Logan to see what I can do to help. I'm not a doctor or anything but I did work at the hospital for a while. 

**Point of View: MAX*************************************** **

The last I can remember is Brin standing over me, as what sounds like a Humvee drives up. Someone's yelling . . . sounds like Logan . . . And then there's a loud crack that splits the air and everything goes black . . . 

I'm cold. It's dark here. 

I have no idea where I am. Everything is so far away. I hear a voice, but it's faint. So far away . . . "She's been shot, she's beaten up, and she's seizing." 

Are they talking about me? I don't think I've been shot . . . I don't feel it. Something Zack told me once at Manticore comes back to me: "You never hear the one that gets you." 

Well, I'd heard the shot . . . or I'd heard *one* 

Max, snap out of it! I have to give Logan those papers I found in Tread's saddlebags. I feel awareness returning to my body. And it hurts like a b!tch. Before fighting with Brin, I'd put them in my shirt to keep them safe. Are they still there? I reach a hand tentatively towards my body. 

"What is she doing? Keep her still." A strong hand clamps down on my wrist. Another hand takes my chin and raises my head. What are they doing? Something touches my lips. "Take the pills, Maxie, they'll stop the seizing." 

I press my lips together. I have no idea who these people are. I don't take candy from strangers. 

"Max, please," a voice near my ear whispers, "take the pills." It's Logan. I open my mouth and allow him to 'force-feed' me Tryptophan. 

"Good girl." I can feel him relax. "Bling, get the first aid kit. We need to tend to her injuries." 

Injuries? That doesn't sound good. 

"Let me help," Kendra says. Now, I love Kendra. She's a great roommate, and bless her heart, extremely generous. But I WILL NOT let her attend to my injuries. I try to sit up, but Logan holds me down. Good thing actually, my head is throbbing. 

"The papers," I croak. 

"What?" 

"Manticorny. Classified papers." 

"Where are they?" 

"Down my shirt. And if you don't free my arms, you'll have to fish them out." Did I just say that? OhGOD! Please let me be delusional. 

Logan looks like he's about to actually do it when the door bursts open . . .

Point of View: BLING ***************************************** 

My head still isn't clear. I get the First Aid kit. Between all the wounded and beaten around here it's running really low. 

A moment ago it sounded like a small war went on outside.   
Cindy and Kendra take the First Aid kit from me. Kendra look at me a moment.   
I see some concern on her face. 

"Are you going to be okay?" 

I try to smile and nod. 

She drifts back over to Max, Logan and Cindy and starts to help. 

Max starts talking about "papers", I'm trying to follow, but my head is outside the cabin. Tinga is out there. And in spite of everything that's happened, everything she's done… I'm can't seem to get her out of my mind. 

Man… Some one should hit me in the head again I guess! 

All of a sudden the door burst open! I grab for a nearby hand gun. 

I'm a second away from shooting when I see a tall Asian woman and little girl rush inside and hide. 

"You people are insane!" she hollers as she covers the little girl. 

I go over to the door still wide open and peer out. At the bottom of the hill is a smoking Humvee on its side with a motorcycle stuck into it at several places. 

I can see the foliage across the road moving. A sign that some one just ran off that way. 

"This b1tch is finished." Cindy says as she tosses the First Aid kit aside. 

Logan calls to me. 

"Bling, How's it look out there?" 

"Quiet. For the moment." 

"Three and a half genetically engineered killing machines out there and it's quiet? That's probably not good." 

I know the sound in his voice. He want something, but he doesn't want to ask me to put myself in danger. 

"What do we need Logan?' 

He pauses.   
"There should be another First Aid kit in the back of the Humvee." 

"Right" I nod. 

"Bling!" He calls to me. 

"Tinga may be back there too. Be careful." 

I nod to him. 

I start making my way down the hill toward the wreckage.   
When I'm closer I start to feel …something. It's a little like being watched, or walking through a graveyard at night. 

I stop dead in my tracks when from under the Humvee I see two metal tipped Motorcycle boots sticking out. 

I take one step closer, then that weird feeling comes on strong!!! I wince, almost by reflex! 

THERE'S A ROAR FROM INSIDE THE HUMVEE!!!   
Its like part lion and part person screaming. 

Two hand prints are punched into the top of the Humvee. Then two fist prints punch into the hand prints and the metal rips a little. Two hands finally punch through folding back the metal roof making a hand hold. The entire time there is sub-human growling mixed with grunting. 

I point my gun at the Humvee, mostly out of reflex! 

There is another ROAR as the Humvee moves and shudders. The hand holds rip even more and trickles of blood start streaming down from the hands poking through. 

One of the legs underneath twists, like it's part of a rag doll being yanked from the other side. 

The hands disappear for a moment and there is a third ROAR coupled with a cracking sound, one I know all to well as a physical therapist. It's a dislocated joint being snapped back into position. 

I consider going to help, but that weird feeling holds me in my tracks… paralyzed by fear. 

I hear heavy breathing. Growling. The two hands stick through the holes again. This time the Humvee lifts higher and the other leg drags loosely underneath. 

Before the vehicle can fall back to the ground, the bloody hands appear underneath, and the Humvee tilts over revealing the man the parts belong to. He's crouched in the space that was the Humvee's window. 

When I was young there was this toy, it was a man made out of little pieces of bead. He was strung together with a tight string. There was a plunger at the bottom, and when you pushed it the man collapsed as all the strings loosened. When you released the plunger, no matter how disarrayed the pieces were, the man would pop back into the upright position. I played with it for hours as a child… but I never thought I would see it happen to a human being. 

I watched… this… man?!?! pull himself back together coupled with the sound of a thousand knuckles cracking. I considered running when he lurched into a crouching position looking directly at me. His eyes were solid Black on White. No iris color what so ever. His face, the most fearsome thing I had ever seen. Like the face of the devil itself! I knew if I moved, he would tear me apart. I slowly drew a breath into my lungs. Slowly… so it wouldn't make a noise. 

"Tread?" My voice cracked as I said it. 

The thing forced itself to blink once. The second blink was less forced. Then he shook off that look, and I noticed the green back in his eyes, and the weird "terror" feeling subsided, as he seemed to become a person again. 

"Bling. The butler." He finally said. 

I was too relieved to be offended. I took a deep breath and started to talk to him. 

"That's right, we haven't met but I'm Bling, I work with Logan and…" 

In a single move he twisted and leaped on top of the Humvee, now turned upright. There was another growl, but this time it was more of a comment than a statement. He faced the direction where I saw the trees moving before. 

"What are you looking for?" I asked as a walked around to see his face again. 

His tongue was stuck out and curled. He was sucking air over it. He pulled it back in and made a little slurp to moisten it again. He looked at me 

"I'm going after them."

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages



	17. Family Reunion

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: For those who are sick of the cliffhangers, I'm actually just re-posting an RPG here, and I'm really far behind what's already been written.If you want to read on ahead, go to [**www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages**][1] , go to the folder marked RPG, and find the thread called The LTB Invitational.There you can see the story up to today's posts, and there are new additions almost every day._ __ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: LACEY ***************************************** 

I've either walked into a nightmare, or my greatest story ever. And Logan's right in the center of it. [B@stard.][2] I always knew his holier than thou act was just that. 

They almost shot me. Me, or Sandy. Cold-hearted so-and-so that I've been called, I couldn't let them do that. I covered her with the only thing I had: me. I've risked my hide for a story before, but rarely for another person. It feels strange. Especially since this is a child, supposedly an innocent. Is this what motherhood feels like, even vaguely? No wonder I avoid it like the plague. 

Sandy is clinging to my leg, and I can feel her trembling. I can't blame her. It's been a helluva week. 

"You people are insane!" I holler as I comfort the poor kid. She clings to me as if she'll be dragged into hell if I let go, and I feel something in my chest snap as I hug her tightly. Poor kid. 

I glare at them all, especially Logan. He's too busy with what looks like an epileptic to notice. I think about trying to help, but all my training didn't cover much on that. Basic triage first aid, that's all. 

A buxom blonde is cooing over Sandy, who tightens her grip on my leg, threatening to cut off circulation. But her eyes are on the girl, who seems to have a strange rapport with her. 

A black woman says, "This b!tch is finished," and tosses what looks like an empty first aid kit aside. The blonde has charmed Sandy to the point where she's let go, and I rub my leg as Logan convinces his man Bling to go after another kit. I walk over to him as he tends to the dark haired girl, the same one I noticed in the hospital with him and the blonde kid. A little young for Logan, but the way he cares for her speaks volumes. I know //I// wouldn't rate such TLC. 

And the way she looks at him makes me want to blush, if I still could. In calmer times, I'd be muttering, "Get a room." I settle for resting on my haunches, beside him. "Everything OK?" I ask him, glancing with concern at the girl. She seems to be settling down. 

His eyes never leave her. "She'll be all right," he said, distracted, a hand brushing a curl from her forehead. She looks awful, but you couldn't tell that from his eyes. Bruised and battered, and being cared for with gentle hands. I stand, feeling like an intruder. 

Everyone is looking at everyone else, trying to figure out what to do next. Outside, a strange roar and noise catches my attention. I'm standing there, trying to figure out what's happening, when it happens again. And I realize I have legs, I can go see what's up. So I start moving, telling Sandy, "Stay here!" The blonde obliges by hugging her.   
I move outside, seeing the man from the bar, the one who was a walking threat, standing atop the wreck of a Humvee, staring at the moving brush. Bling, the man who works for Logan, asked him, "What are you looking for?" 

Tread?…I think that was his name…was sticking out his tongue. I filed that away for reference as he replied in a voice that chilled my blood worse than anything I'd seen today, "I'm going after them." For a moment, they stand frozen. Then Tread stares directly at //ME//, with a look that made my blood pass chill and turn to ice. An eternity passed in an instant with our gazes locked. I could swear I heard him growl, and it raised gooseflesh on my skin. Then he leaped to the ground heavily and lumbered off into the foliage.   
  
I turned to a disturbed-looking Bling, who was staring at the spot where Tread had been a moment before. I was shivering with the memory of the look I'd been given, and full of questions. 

He spoke before I could ask them. "We need to get the first aid kit back inside." And he reached into the Humvee, with a determination that allowed no questions. I trailed behind him, trying to make sense of what I'd seen and knowing it was going to take a while. 

**Point of View: LOGAN**************************************** **

Thank God I got the pills down Max's throat. For a minute, she didn't seem to recognize me, recognize anyone. 

Her shaking eases enough to start tending to the rest of her injuries. There are so many, they each look minor, but what the hell do I know. I'm not good at this, and Bling's out looking for another medical kit. There are other hands helping me with the swabs and antiseptics and bandages. Cindy, Kendra, probably, but I'm not even sure. 

I can't take my eyes away from her for a second. She's looking at me like I'm the last man on earth. Like I'm the only one who can save her. It's all I can do to keep my hands from shaking. 

I hear Lacey screaming something. She and Bling go outside, there are more crashes. Whatever it is, I hope Bling is up to it. I'm not moving. 

Max is still watching me. "Manticorny. Classified papers, Logan, get them. I can wait." Her hands are bandaged. I don't give a damn about any papers right now, but she shouldn't be upset. Her serotonin's in bad enough shape right now. 

I'm going to have to get them myself. I'm going to have to reach into her shirt and pull them out. She's injured, she's a patient, I should be objective about it. I'm not. 

I think of it as that game I had as a kid, Operation. Go in and get the object without touching anything else. It's the only way I can keep my sanity. I've got my hand down her shirt and she's looking at me with those trusting eyes and she's hurt and that's all I should be thinking about. 

I get the papers out and drop them to the floor. Bling is back. He hands Cindy the second first aid kit. "Logan, Tread just crawled from under a Humvee and went looking for Lydecker and the others. I'm taking the gun and going after him." After Tread? After Tinga, more likely. Poor [b@stard.][3]

As we rip open more wipes and continue cleaning dried blood from Max's skin, Bling asks me where the rest of the ammunition is. I nod in the direction of the cabinet. He takes what he needs and leaves without another word. 

Kendra picks up the papers I dropped on the floor and rummages through them. "Logan, I don't know what's going on here, but I think you should read this." 

I tear my eyes away from Max for a second, and reach out for the documents. Max moans, softly, trying to keep it in. I drop the papers again. 

I'm sure they're important. Vital. But if I can't patch her up, I don't give a sh!t. Saving the world just became less important than saving one girl. 

So much for being a hero. 

**Point of View: KENDRA*************************** **

I hear Max mumbling about papers that are in her shirt. She says they are really important. I ignore her and grab a swab and starting cleaning Max's cuts. Max is trying to get up and moving about. She isn't making this easy. She is loosing a lot of blood and needs to stay still. Bling offers to go to the car and get the other first aid kit. I've got to admit, I have a lot of respect for him. I wouldn't go out there; it sounds like a war zone. 

Logan gets the papers from Max and drops them on the floor. Max is saying how important they are so I pick them up. I look over at Lacey; the little girl is wrapped around her leg. She brings the girl over to me and tells me to watch her. I skim through the papers. I'm not sure exactly what they are talking about. Herbal Gummies ... Zack ... I think to my self, what the hell is going on here?? I figure I should give this to someone that knows what they are doing. So I holler at Logan,   
"Logan, I don't know what's going on here, but I think you should read this." He grabs the papers from me and then looks over at Max. He drops them on the floor and mumbles something that sounded like "This is going to have to wait". 

I can't really help with Max since I have the girl hanging on me. Poor thing she must be scared to death. I look up and I see Bling digging through a drawer. He picks up a box of ammo and heads back out of the cabin. I think to myself, ... dam he's got a fine butt. Wait a second. Were in a middle of a catastrophe.. I shouldn't be thinking this. I've got to find a way to get this girl off me so I can help Max. Getting more annoyed at her by the second, I say "Where the firetruck did Lacey go?" 

Logan looks up for a brief second and scans the room, shrugs then turns back to Max. Not that I blame him or anything. It's pretty obvious that he loves her. 

I decide to go and look through the cabin. Maybe there will be something in here that will amuse that girl. I find an empty bedroom and tell the girl "It's nap time, I'll be back later to check on you. If you need anything come and get me." Well that solves the problem for now. I head back to the main room and grab another swab. Max still needs a lot of work. 

**Point of View: TINGA************************************* **

Everything's fuzzier than it was before, if that's possible. And my head hurts worse. My stomach churns with every jolting footfall as I trot behind Zack-with-Lydecker's face. 

It's strange. I know Zack can move faster than this. He'd be the one setting the grueling pace back in the bad ol' days. But even as off my game as I am, I can keep up with him without breaking a sweat. I have the faintest stirring of disquiet about this. It seems like I should be alarmed, but just then Brin stirs on my shoulder, moaning and thrashing a bit. 

And suddenly I'm back at Manticore with Lydecker yelling at us. Telling us there will be times when we must care for the other X-5s, but we must know when to give aid and when to cut our losses and run. And then he hands out the assignment cards and tells us to start the exercise. I feel the pounding of my heart as I turn over the card, to see if I'm alive or dead, rescuer or victim... 

I snap back into reality, stomach wrenching in protest. Lydecker--Zack is standing up, in full view of a nearby road, gesturing impatiently to me and YELLING! He's YELLING! On an Escape And Evade! Has he lost his mind? Or is this another test? 

"C'mon, Tinga, get your @** in gear! Let's MOVE!" he's yelling out to me. I do what I can, with Brin's dead weight over my shoulder, to signal him DOWN and QUIET. But he pays no mind. 

A truck rolls by as he's speaking. With growing horror, I notice two figures huddled on the back. Two figures whose heads suddenly snap around and track us. In a flash, they're off the end of the truck. One tumbles off the truck and sprawls on the ground, scrambling up almost instantly. The other tries for a flawlessly graceful move, but one leg folds under her and she grasps it in pain. The man is instantly by her, but she's up and standing in almost the same move. They both look our way... 

And I realize I must be hallucinating, because the face I see is Zack's. The woman's face is vaguely familiar...and I stare from them, to the Zack with Lydecker's face, to Brin on my shoulder, and I wonder who's real. I start towards them, Brin bouncing a bit as I up the pace. She certainly //feels// real enough. 

Zack with Lydecker's face breaks out into a grin as I stride towards him. He turns and starts toward the road, and I see his face change from the happy light, to puzzlement, to utter confusion. He looks back at me with real panic in his eyes. "Tinga?" he asks me, and I can hear the world of questions in the one word. I sweep past him and to the edge of the road, where the other Zack and the woman were standing, Zack now dropping into a defensive crouch, protecting her. I halt roughly halfway between the two of them. "Zack?" I ask, looking from one to the other, unsure of who I'm asking. 

Both of them look at me, the familiar Zack face with the hardened, bottom line look I recognize from the Zack I've known lately, the Lydecker face with a more youthful, somewhat hopeful look of the Zack I used to know. The Zack I used to look up to, and go to for praise and acceptance. The Zack from the days when we were a family...before he rejected me. I miss that. I miss it horribly. But it's not reality...is any of this? 

They're both like fathers to me. But the one I wanted didn't want me, and the one I didn't, was willing to welcome me back on my own terms. And they both are facing me. But I don't know who is who anymore. 

Zack...the one that looks like him, starts forward aggressively, putting weight on one leg, and then winces and grabs it as he falters. The woman is by his side, while the Zack that looks like Lydecker is yelling behind me. As time slows and I feel myself break into full awareness for the first time in I don't know how long, I hear him clearly but it's as if he's miles away. 

"TINGA! He must've had the same surgery as me! It's Lydecker, it's got to be! GET AWAY FROM HIM!" I don't know what his game is, but I know, with complete certainty, as Zack grabs the leg--the same leg the glass shard was embedded in--who is who. 

On my shoulder, Brin stirs. I can feel her lift herself up slightly. "What's going on," I can hear her murmur. With a tinge of real fear in her voice, she continues on, "Who are you people?" 

Some days, I wonder that myself. 

**Point of View: JONDIE************************************** **

Jumping on the back of that truck had been Zack's subtle way of watching out for me. He knew that I definitely could not make it on foot to the cabin, even though we would have had a lot of questions to answer had we been spotted on the truck. 

"We're almost there," he says as we turn off the main road. I look up and see a woman with another girl thrown over her shoulder and a man that I would have sworn was Lydecker standing by the road. 

"Am I losing my mind?" I wondered for a split second before Zack gave the order to jump. I felt like we'd been riding forever and I was starting to cramp, but leaping off onto my hurt foot was not something I particularly wanted to do. I try to leap gracefully from the truck without hurting myself and fail miserably. Before I hit the ground I see Zack go down grasping his hurt leg but he rolls to his feet and rushes to my side. Not wanting to look weak, I jump to my feet but he steps in front of me, dropping into that all too familiar fighting stance. 

The man, whom I've realized with terror, actually is Lydecker turns to the other girl and yells, "TINGA! He must've had the same surgery as me! It's Lydecker, it's got to be! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"   
  
I feel my mouth drop open as I stare at Lydecker and the two girls. I try to find my voice and say something, anything, but I'm in total and complete shock. Zack, not being afflicted with my inability to speak, has a slightly more colorful response. 

"Tinga! What the hell are you doing? Brin is in no condition to be moved, and WHAT is going on with him???" he yells, incorporating in a few more inventive expletives. 

"Tinga? Brin?" My mind is reeling as find myself face to face with two of my sisters and my own personal anti-Christ who seems to think that he is Zack. 

"What the f*** is going on here?" I demanded, finally finding my voice. 

Zack shoots me the "not now" look as he takes Brin from Tinga. My cat DNA comes into play and I can practically feel my fur bristling at that look. I hate being dismissed: even by Zack. 

Brin had begun to stir before Zack took her and I heard her muttering something that sounded like "what's going on?" and "who are you people?" her voice filled with fear. You and me both Honey, I think before I see Tinga go into a blur of motion. In one fluid movement she flew at Lydecker with a furious set of kicks and punches. 

"Help her!" Zack barks at me in his best 'alpha male' voice. 

I give him a look that would have made any man but Zack back down, but he does flinch a little. "Is Zack, Mr. Do Everything By The Book Soldier, going soft?" I wonder as I race after Tinga and Lydecker. 

Even though neither one of us is in the best of shape, between the two of us we easily manage to take Lydecker down. We shove him onto his stomach and I wrench his arms behind his back, pining him to the ground. Tinga is still in full attack mode and I reach out with one hand to shove her away and hold onto Lydecker's arms with the other. In her weakened state, my push makes her fall backwards but she quickly jumps up and prepares to attack. 

"TINGA!" Zack yells walking over still carefully holding Brin who is slowly regaining consciousness. 

She backs down at his words, but I can still feel her glare and I could almost swear that she growled at me. 

"I don't know what is going on here, but we don't have time for questions. Brin needs help and she needs it now. We're taking her to the cabin," he says and then pauses as he looks over at Tinga. "Help your sister with Lydecker," he snaps. 

She turns to me, her face mirroring the look of shock I must have had earlier. "Jondie?" 

"What's up big sis?" 

**Point of View: BRIN************************************* **

I wake up to find myself unceremoniously being bumped along over someone's shoulder. I can hear arguing. "What the f*** is going on here?" one person asks. Good question. I'd like to know too. 

Although I'd settle for just knowing my name. It really is disturbing when you can't remember who you are 

"What's going on," I murmur, "Who are you people?" There's no response. The people I can see are arguing about who is who. Oh great, they don't know who they are either? 

Strong arms pick me up. It's the blonde guy. What did they call him? Mack? Zack? Yes, Zack. "I don't know what is going on here, but we don't have time for questions. Brin needs help and she needs it now. We're taking her to the cabin. Help your sister with Lydecker," he says. 

Brin? Who's Brin? Is that me? 

"What did you call me?" I say. 

I didn't think he heard me, but his head turns away from the two women who are staring at each other to look down at me. "Baby Sister," he says, "You don't remember?" 

I shake my head. Ouch, that was a mistake. Moving any part of my body hurts like a b!tch. How did I get this way? What happened to me? 

"Hang on," he whispers, holding me tighter against his chest. "Tinga, Jondie," he calls to the two women, "We'll have plenty of time to play X-5 reunion at the cabin. But Brin needs to get there stat, so get you're a**es in gear and let's go." 

Grumbling slightly, the two women pick up the older man and carry him between them. Zack carefully holds me while he leads the march back to the cabin. 

The Cabin. What a vague name. I suppose this should mean something to me, but I can't remember. And that's what scares me. I don't know what any of this means . . 

Point of View: JACE ***************************************** 

I bump lightly against an alleyway wall as I slow to walking, and panicked as I thought of my baby...still breathing and not injured...I can't believe I keep doing that. I slow walking and stop behind a dumpster, and pull the five month old girl from my back. She looked disturbed, but as soon as she saw my face she giggled and shut her eyes...I remember being kid...and being in Manticore. 

Footsteps...I grab the now sleeping baby and hug her to my chest as I leap up on the dumpster, and on to the fire escape of the building next to it. 

Damn kid.... I think with a smile on my face.... got me tired out, me being the 24 hour milk service.... top floor, coming up.... I don't think that I will ever get used to this extra weight... 

The concrete roof is so cold.... I laugh at myself as I throw down a rug.... a mother is prepared at all times...I stop.... shouldn't that be a solider is prepared at all times...shut up Jace... 

My baby...sleeping so peacefully...of course she has had the last few months easy. Birth was difficult, a few complications...she was going to come out headfirst but being a 'clever' little kid she switched position, much to the discomfort of her mother. Max gargled as I stroked her cheek the first time.... the two months after went smoothly...except for the constant crying for attention and milk. It was only the next three months...damn my next door 'friends'. They came so close to taking her away.... I hate normal people sometimes.... I was taking care of my kid.... I nearly lost her. But coming back to Max was a good idea. No one knows I'm here and no one should be looking for me...

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages
   [2]: mailto:B@stard.
   [3]: mailto:b@stard.



	18. Classified

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: For those who are sick of the cliffhangers, I'm actually just re-posting an RPG here, and I'm really far behind what's already been written.If you want to read on ahead, go to [**www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages**][1] , go to the folder marked RPG, and find the thread called The LTB Invitational.There you can see the story up to today's posts, and there are new additions almost every day._ __ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: TREAD ***************************************** 

It's like waking up from a painful sleep, or coming off a real good high. I ache all over. The roll in the Humvee shook me apart, but I don't thing I broke anything. Just lots of dislocated this and that. 

When I regained control, Logan's buddy was standing there white as sheet. A bad thing for a black guy. 

Of course I can hardly blame him. I only have to face Spoilsport in our own head. Spoilsport must be mellowing in his old age. Either that or I'm finally a strong enough personality to drag him back into his cage in the back of my mind. 

Either way. Bling has become one of about only 4 people alive to live after seeing the first Alter. 

Down to business.   
Tinga, Brinn and Lydecker are moving off through the woods.   
I suck air over that tongue of mine.. The trail is still hot. 

Tinga's got a perfume on. There are still faint traces of Alcohol from Lydecker. I guess the blood is from Brinn. 

There are patches of heat leading off through the woods. I can't imagine how people live without infrared vision…. 

I can also see the small brush animals forming the rough edge of a path. They always get out of the way when some one takes off through the woods, but they don't go that far. 

Bling was chattering at me and the nosey b1tch shows up as I'm about to leap after them.   
I have to comprise by jumping DOWN off the Humvee and running off through the woods like a normal human. 

After all, if I kill her… who's going to babysit. 

Bad thought! Bad thought! Gotta real those in this close after a Spoilsport breakout! 

Think happy thoughts…   
My Harley… Stolen and trashed.   
Oh god... I don't have a single happy thought. 

When this is over, I need to go kill bad people some place sunny and tropical! 

I move quickly through the brush. Sunny tropical thoughts are buying the brain f*cked Lydecker some time. If he's no use as a Zack wannabe, as an ally, I might as well extract the information I need now, and throw away the rest. 

But what about the girls? They may be acting erratic, but hell… so did I. By-product of an abused childhood. From what I was told, Brinn was recaptured, reprogrammed. But she still flew off the handle. That in itself is a sign that somewhere she's fighting her conditioning. She wants to be free. Not like that killing machine I chased all over Rome after he killed last Pope. He didn't know anything but what he was told, and didn't want to. What if they are bad? I've caused immeasurable damage with only good intentions. What can these kids do if they're let loose? 

Evidently not much, judging by this trail. Who trained these kids? Max runs around doing cat burglaries with that pretty face of hers hanging out. Brinn does predictable high jumps. Even though Lydecker has Zack's memories he still has his own. He should know more about covering his tracks! Of course, he hasn't caught the bulk of the escaped X-5's in over a decade. 

Manticore is such a Government project. 

Speaking of which… I come out of the woods near a rode. Up the road I see two new members of this party. 

Some blonde guy is holding Brinn now. Tinga and some other chick are carrying my Lydecker. A quick gust reveals a barcode on the neck of the new girl. Too far away for my bleary eyes to read the numbers, but I can tell they're all wounded. 

Damn… this complicated things. I HATE when things get complicated! I mean, they are heading back toward the Cabin. I could stop. I could just follow and watch… If I hadn't already closed the distance to pop out of the wood in front of them. 

"Rooby Rooby Roo! Lydecker would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you darn kids." 

The blonde guy spins and carefully places Brinn with Tinga and Lydecker while he and X-5 girl join together in a Sambo martial arts stance between me and them. It's all real effective right up till the point where Tinga can't balance and falls over with Brinn and Lydecker. 

"Who the hell are you?" the blond guy says. He's obviously somewhat in charge. The other girl is looking to him for cues about what to do. They start to spread apart and circle around me. I know she's X-5, so I can 99% predict that he's X-5. 

The question is are they with Lydecker, or are they escaped. 

"You can call me 'Uncle Tread' if you've got the right barcode numbers." 

"Sorry, our family tree doesn't go that far back." Blondie answers. 

"You don't know enough…." I'm cut off mid sentence and the Blonde leaps at me. 

I was sort of ready for this. After all, if I popped out of the woods at me, I would shoot first and ask questions later. 

He's slower, and his style is a little off. I grab his leg and spin him with his own momentum. He glances off the other girl who was already moving out of the way, just not quite fast enough. 

She stumbles a little with him, but never really goes off her feet.   
"What kind of half a$$ed training did they teach you kids? I'm alone and out numbered, and you attack before you have a clue as to what you're dealing with.", I chastise. 

"I know you know Lydecker, and we have you outnumbered.", he comes back.   
He starts making hand signals to the girl, telling her to attack me high while he goes low. 

When they move I flip-roll into the air, grabbing the girl and spinning her right into his path.   
As they untangle from each other I cartwheel back a few feet and come up clapping my hands out in front of me. 

"Oark Oark Oark! If you're gonna talk Navy Seal hand signals… I'm gonna have to throw you some fish." 

They both flip back up onto their feet. I stand there and fold my arms.   
They look at each other and this time there's some worry there.   
At least their training was good enough for them to learn their lesson about using hand signals around me. 

"What do you want?" Blondie finally starts talking. 

"I was going to try and bring Tinga and Brinn there back to people who can help them." 

"What about Lydecker?" he glares at me.   
"I was planning on torturing him for several months until I know enough about Manticore to shut it down forever." 

Lydecker scrambles to his feet and charges at Zack. The X-5 girl calls out to him. "Zack!"   
He spins and kicks Lydecker in the breadbasket, and then follows up with a shot to the head.   
He collapses on the floor unconscious again. 

The girl looks at the blonde… at Zack!   
"What was he thinking?" she asks him.   
I answer.   
"He thinks he's you… Zack. Thanks to a bag full of those Manticorny Gummies I fed him." 

The two of them stare at me wide eyed. 

Before I can go any further we here a car coming down the road. A familiar dirty Blue Aztec. 

**Point of View: LACEY**************************************** **

Bling heads into the cabin and I suddenly find myself unable to follow. The events of the day have all been too much. And too little. I have to try and piece things together or I'll drive myself mad. I know I will. It's how I work. 

I stare out at the yard, at the wreckage, at the foliage still moving in the slight breeze. I know I have to get a grip and figure things out. But they just won't add up to anything that I could believe and make sense out of. 

Shaking my head, I enter the cabin. Oh well…might as well go inside, where things make some kind of sense. 

It's chaos inside again. Several people are talking at once, and Logan is dropping papers on the floor to fuss over his girl. She does look in rough shape, but for some reason, I think she'll pull through. And my eye is caught by the red "Classified" stamp on the pages. 

"Let's get her into a bed, someplace stable," Logan is saying, and carefully the group moves down the hallway. Leaving me alone with the nice classified papers. 

Without really thinking about it, I scoop up a few of them, spin on my heel and head back outside. I need someplace quiet to go over them, someplace out of the way… 

The Humvee we came in is trashed, but there's another vehicle nearby. Logan's Aztec. I climb in the back and settle down for a nice read. 

I've barely gotten past the who-what-where blurb on the top of the page when I hear the door open. Hurriedly, I hunker down and try to hide, thanking my lucky stars for the blanket I find in the back. I give it a quick twitch before I hear the door open and feel someone climb in. Damn. I'm not just hiding, I'm along for the ride. 

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've stumbled into something. I do what you're supposed to do when faced with the inevitable, and relax and try to enjoy it. 

**Point of View: LYDECKER************************* **

I know I'm being moved, but I make no movement that would betray that I wasn't out like they thought. Thanks for the kick Zack. I was out for some period of time, but I'm back. Back in every way. My name is Donald Lydecker. Part of what's happened is hazy, but I can remember enough. Enough that they're going to regret it. 

There's conversation flowing, but my head is aching too much to really pick up on it. I recognize the signs of a hangover and a$$-kicking. It's not the first time I've felt that way, but it's been a long time. 

Brinn doesn't know who she is right now, I know that much. She'll be much more malleable then. And right now, they don't know that I know who I am. Kids. They're so predictable. Then again, I'm the one who taught them. They're trying to figure out what to do, and where to go. I know where they're going. This time, there's no escape. I've seen them, and this time, they're being hunted to the ends of the Earth. The Manticorny getting out was a mistake, but there won't be any permanent harm. The purpose is served. 

The director is currently in a padded cell calling herself Zack. She received a full dose of the stuff. The acting director is under my thumb. He's scared as hell he'll be the next. My kids can get to him anytime, anywhere, and he knows that he'll be in the cell right next to the director. 

And then there's Tread. Tread, Tread, Tread. Do you know all your secrets? Does Spoilsport? If he knows, have the two of you talked recently? You see, I know them. And I know haw to control you. If I can live long enough, you all will be brought home. 

**Point of View: LOGAN************************************* **

"Logan." 

Max is finally lying still, breathing evenly. 

"Logan." 

She's been insisting that she has no internal injuries, that everything is minor. I don't know if it's another Manticore trait, medical self-assessment, or she's just trying to reassure us. 

"Logan." 

A hand pats me on the shoulder, and it registers that Kendra's been talking to me. 

"Logan, she's as patched up as she's going to get, here. I think she needs to get some sleep." 

I shake my head. "Max..." 

"Doesn't sleep," Kendra finishes for me. "Under the circumstances, I think she might make an exception." 

She has a point. "Right. Let's get her into a bed, someplace stable." 

The three of us move her down the hall, slowly, trying not to undo any of our amateur bandaging. We get her onto the bed, as carefully as possible. Even so, she winces and grabs my hand, hard, with her bandaged one. I sit that way, letting her hold onto me, until she falls asleep completely. She doesn't let go even then, and I'm not going to move. 

I could sit here and stare at her, will her to heal, but reality intrudes. 

"Kendra, could you get me those papers Max brought in?" 

Kendra nods and heads for the living room. She returns with a couple of folded sheets, puts them in my unoccupied hand. 

I could have sworn..."Kendra, weren't there more of these?" 

"That's what I thought. But the rest are missing. And so is your car." 

The car is missing. My first thought is that if Max needs real medical help, there will be no way to get it. It takes a split second for my less selfish side to resurface, remind me that those papers are important to a lot more people than Max. And they're missing, and we're stranded. 

I pull out my cel to call...who?...when the door opens. That kid, Sandy, sidles in and makes a beeline for Kendra. 

"The nice lady left. How come?" 

Kendra shoots me a glance and kneels down by Sandy. 

"The nice lady that came in the car with you?" 

"Mmmhhmmm." 

Lacey. 

"You saw her leave?" 

"Mmmhhmmm." 

Lacey left...I forgot to keep an eye on her. But where the h#ll could she go up here? 

"Did she take anything with her?" 

"Mmmmhhhmmm." 

Oh, no, she didn't. I want to intervene, but...kids are scary. Let Kendra handle it. 

"Those papers lying on the floor?" 

"Mmmmhhhmmm." 

That's exactly what Lacey would do. Wonder how Kendra figured that out. 

"Could you explain a little more, sweetheart?" 

"The nice lady took them and drove off in the car." 

Lacey took the papers, my car, and is probably speeding back to Seattle to sell a few million papers. Using information that could do us all in. 

And I thought Lydecker was my biggest problem. 

**Point of View: KENDRA************************************** **

After we get done cleaning Max up as much as we can. I notice Logan just sitting and staring at her. It's so cute; however, Max needs her sleep. I tell Logan that she needs to rest. He seems reluctant to move her I think he would be happier if she stayed where she was. After a little convincing we carefully pick her up and carry her down the hall to an empty bedroom. We put her in bed careful not to mess up any of the bandages. 

Logan asks me to go get the papers that Max had. I head into the living room and see a few papers on the floor. I thought there were more of them, but maybe I wasn't thinking clearly. After all, things were kind of hectic. I pick up what I can find and look out the window. I say to myself,   
"Where the hell is Logan's car; It was there a little while ago."   
I walk over to the window thinking it just got moved, but no such luck. Oh well, we can try and find the car later. I need to get these papers to Logan. 

I give the papers to Logan. He gives me a funny look and asks, "Weren't there more?"   
I answer, "That's what I thought but the rest are missing and so is your car."   
At this point Logan does not have a happy look on his face. He gets out his cell phone to make a call when that kid barges in. 

She asks why the nice lady left. She must be talking about Lacey. I look over at Logan, this kid is getting annoying but, I can probably get some information out of her. Logan looks like he wants me to deal with this. 

I start putting things together, and I think Lacey might be the one that took the papers. Bling is loyal to Logan and Original Cindy hasn't left my sight. Lacey is the only other one that was around when Logan pulled out the papers. 

I kneel down so I'm eye level with the girl.   
I ask her, "Lacey, you saw her leave?"   
"Mmmhhmmm"   
"Did she take anything with her?"   
"Mmmhhmmm"   
I knew it was Lacey that took those papers. I wonder if the girl can confirm that. I ask her, "Those papers lying on the floor?"   
"Mmmhhmmm"   
Can't this girl say anything besides Mmmhhmmm. I guess I'm going to have to elaborate more. "Could you explain a little more sweetheart?"   
"The nice lady took them and drove off in the car."   
Well, I got the information out of her. I can't tell what is going on in Logan's head. I'm not sure whether he is mad at Lacey or just plain worried about Max. Maybe it's a little bit of both. 

We all just stay there in silence for a little bit trying to decide what to do. Max rolls over and says, "The papers, you have to get the papers. They explain everything about the herbal gummies."   
I tell her that we'll get them back. 

I have no clue what to do. I don't even know what is going on here. Someone is going to have to fill me in on a little bit more. I'm not sure what these herbal gummies are and I'm have no clue what is going on with Max and her siblings. I was thrown across the room. No ordinary girl can do that. 

I turn to Logan, "I really want to help, but there are some things I would like to know. What are herbal gummies exactly and how the hell was that girl able to throw me across the room?"   
Logan gives me a look like he's not sure what to do. He seems to be kind of confused. My guess is that he thought Max already filled me in. 

Just then we hear a loud bang outside. "Dam it not again."

**Point of View: JACE************************************* **

It was getting colder slowly, and Max could feel it. Looking around...no decent places to take a kid into, the odd amount of drunk men, the homeless crowd...damn.   
  
I don't feel like wondering around all night...wait...this is, yeah, Max's work place. Jam Pony...it is quiet...good sign..   
  
The baby is silent, as if sensing the need for...there's someone here...a man...closing the place.   
  
"WAHHH!!!!!" The baby has had its 15 seconds of silent time...this is going to be hard with more weight!   
  
The guy wasn't prepared for the sudden attack, because one kick in the back and he is...out! Better take him outside...I will be gone before he wakes..with backache. 

The baby settles down, the backroom seems a good place to crash. I have to call Max, I have that guys number...Logan. A friend's number, that's what she said. Friend my a*s. 

I wonder how Max is doing now...probably with Logan at the moment. I hope she can help me, well my kid anyway. I can't run all my life, first from over caring neighbors and now from...well Lydecker for one. He maybe here, in Seattle at the moment. Max's choice of places to live really needs fine-tuning. But I guess that staying with a guy like Logan with connections works for her... 

Again little Max lets a huge cry for attention rip. How those little lungs produce such a loud noise...tickling her cheek seems to calm her...she is so lucky to have a mum on call for her... 

I need to find someone, whether it be Max or Zack or Logan. I need backup sometimes, and as I look at my baby and my situation, this is no way to live. I look at baby Max and I see no future for her when we have to run all the time and hunt for food...I am even sorry that I have doomed this kid to a life like this...like mine and Max's and all the other X-5 kids...maybe Manticore was a better place...no. Not for a probably genetically enhanced kid. Experiments..that is all they would do to her...I would survive, but she..might not. Even this is better for her..and me. 

Point of View: HERBAL**************************************** 

Before I can satisfy my sweet tooth, Normal calls me over to deliver a package. "Waterfront," he said. "And this one is important." 

"Normal, my brother, all packages have their importance in our lives and in the web that is our..." 

"Go, go..." Normal sank his head into his hands. 

***** 

When I return, Normal is the last one, and he hands me the keys and tells me to close Jam Pony. Something is wrong with him, but when I speak to him of sharing with his brother, he shakes his head and tells me he cannot understand the words from my mouth. I can tell that he has had a rough day. 

As I close up, a woman walks in, a woman of righteous beauty, carrying a tiny baby crying at the top of its lungs. I ask her if I can help her in some humble way, but she will have none of my speech, and with one kick, I am in the oblivion of unconsciousness. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages



	19. Kiss

(Logan) 

_Author's Note: For those who are sick of the cliffhangers, I'm actually just re-posting an RPG here, and I'm really far behind what's already been written.If you want to read on ahead, go to [**www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages**][1] , go to the folder marked RPG, and find the thread called The LTB Invitational.There you can see the story up to today's posts, and there are new additions almost every day._ __ _________________________________________________________________ Point of View: JACE ***************************************** 

Morning was coming, and as the knocked-out guy may wake up at anytime, I have to move. I gather up lil' Max's stuff and pull the sleeping babe onto my back.   
A noise outside…someone has found that guy I kicked. Exit, stage right…   
  
Climbing out a window is hard with a lump stuck on your back. The alleyway is empty, but someone is coming towards the back room…I can't fit through, and throwing the kid out the window would not be smart. It is time to stay and fight…   
  
The person comes in slowly, wise, but they are still gonna end up on their front, wheezing…I punch the woman as she comes through the door, and jump up and kick her in the stomach, she crumples down on the floor coughing. I pelt through the door, and find another guy running toward me with a plank of wood. I laugh, and still with lil' Max on my back, I jump over him and knock him soundly in the back of the head. The knocked out guy was just coming round. Past him and down the alley, heading toward the street toward the phone booths at the bottom. 

No-one has decided to follow, someone is using their brain…Okay, where is the number…right. The phone is ringing, but, no-one is answering. Great. Max's 'boyfriend' is not in. I have to find her, or Logan. But how? I guess the best I can do is leave a message… 

**Point of View: MAX**************************************** **

It's the bang that wakes me up. I've always been a light sleeper, so I would have thought that being moved by Logan to the bedroom would have woken me up. 

Guess I'm more injured than I thought. 

However, I'm feeling better, at least well enough to get up and stagger to the door. Holding on to the doorframe with all my might, I survey the front room. Logan, Cindy, and Kendra are all looking out the windows for the source of the bang. Cindy spots me first. 

"Boo! What are you doin' outta bed? Get your behind back in there before you hurt yourself." 

At Cindy's order, Logan and Kendra turn around. "Max," Logan says as the same time Kendra cries "Back to bed." 

I shake my head and take a cautious step forward. "What happened?" Logan makes a move towards me as if to take me back to bed. I give him a look saying 'I'm fine'. "Tell me what happened." 

"Uh, Tread went after Brin, Tinga and Lydecker. And Bling's gone after them." Logan's face looks ashen. He knows anything could have happened. 

"Bling went after Tread?" Oh no, this can't be good. Even X-5's can have a hard time with Tread. I don't want to think about Bling fighting him . . . I take another step towards the door. 

"Max, you can't go out there, you're not in any shape to be of any use and you can barely stand, let alone walk." Logan's face is full of concern. 

"I can too," I say, taking a step forward. But the room spins and I loose my balance. Logan rushes forward to catch me. 

For a moment we're just there, me in his arms, him leaning over me, staring at each other. Our faces are so close together . . . 

The door to the cabin swings open and our heads swivel around to look at it. A brunette runs in and takes a look around. 

"Logan? Logan Cale?" she asks. 

"Yeah," Logan replies, "And you are?" 

"Jondie." 

**Point of View: jJACE************************* **

Now what? 

No Max, no Logan. Damn. 

Going back the way I came would be dumb, but, maybe… 

I quickly sprint back the way I came, and saw that the guy I knocked out yesterday was up, and trying to wake up the guy with the plank. 

I creep behind him, and cover his mouth, incase anyone else was sneaking around Jam Pony. He flails around, and I don't have the heart to knock him out again. I am getting soft… 

"Listen to me…" I say in his ear. "I won't hurt you if you supply me with information." 

Looks like the Jam Pony gang is coming to work, and I don't want to be caught now. What am I going to do, can't fight with a baby on my back, I can't escape outta the women's bathroom and the backroom is taken by the woman I winded…damn damn damn…for the first time in my life I am panicking …Okay. I didn't spend most of my life in Manticore's summer camp to panic… 

I drag the guy to behind a stone pillar, and two men walk in and immediately run over to the guy still on the floor, okay, time to move. 

I walk silently out the door, the two guys' backs to me, and pull my informant into an adjacent alleyway. I grab his coat and shirt, and whisper in his ear: 

"Okay, if you yell for help I will break your neck and I will do the same to anyone who decides to come to your rescue, understand buster?" 

He nods, nervously. 

"Okay. I want to know one thing, where is Max?" 

**Point of View: JONDIE********************************* **

Okay, I was seriously beginning to wish that I'd stayed home. Even waiting tables and dealing with rowdy drunks who thought coping a feel was part of the "service" was appealing compared to this freak show. 

To begin with, Zack and I had just seriously gotten our a**es kicked by this Tread guy, one of my sisters had apparently turned, the other one didn't have a clue who we were, and dammit, my foot hurt! 

After Tread had finished "introducing" himself to me and Zack, he had explained that he was a friend of Max and Logan's and was much more interested in torturing Lydecker than helping him. I was liking this guy better and better. 

Suddenly our little bonding moment is interrupted by the sound of squealing tires as a Pontiac Aztec screeches to a halt, covering us all with dust. A black man leaps from the driver's seat holding a gun and rushes over to us. Zack and I are immediately on our guard again and Tinga tenses, but Tread just sneers. 

"Bling!" he says almost joyfully. "Back for more?" 

"I've come for Tinga and Brinn," he says. 

"Now why would you want to do that?" Tread asks. "Don't you trust me?" I can tell that for some reason he's really enjoying baiting him. 

"They're both hurt and they need medical attention," Bling answers calmly. "Now you can either let me take them now, or we can deal with this some other way." 

Tread lets his gaze rest on Bling's raised gun for a minute and then shrugs. "You're either the stupidest person on the face of the earth, or you've got nerves of steel," he says. Bling doesn't flinch and continues to stand with his gun trained on Tread. " Probably stupidity, but we'll go with nerves for your sake. Take them and get them help," he says. 

"Max is hurt too," Bling says turning to Zack. "We need your help." 

I see the muscles in Zack's face twitch as he glances around. "Bling, take Jondie, Brinn, and Tinga back to the cabin. Tinga and Brinn are weak, and Jondie can help Max. Tread and I can make it on our own, and we'll deal with Lydecker," he orders. 

Tinga dumps Lydecker unceremoniously on the ground and I walk over and take Brinn from Zack. "This obeying Zack without question is getting to be an annoying habit," I think as Tinga and I follow Bling. Suddenly Tread jerks and stares intently at the Aztec. I stop to look at him and then jump out of his way as he nearly takes us all out in his rush to the car. 

"You'd probably be more comfortable if you sat up. Besides, we need the room," he says as he taps on the rear window. 

A woman's head pops up into view and the look on her face is priceless. It's something between "damn, I got caught" and "who the hell are all of you?" I can't say that I blame her, we must be quite a sight. 

Bling opens the back door for me to put Brinn in. "Move over Lacey, we've got company," he orders, the frustration evident in his voice. 

Lacey crawls wordlessly up onto the seat as Tinga climbs in and I carefully place Brinn beside her. Bling walks around to the driver's side as I climb in the front seat. After a quick glance at Tinga in the rearview mirror, Bling cranks the car and pulls a rather impressive U turn, driving us back to the cabin at a speed Zack would be proud of. "Wonder what that was all about?" I mused as we raced down the highway. 

Before I even have time to think about the fact that I'm about to see Max again we're at the cabin. "Go help Max," Bling says as we pull up. "I'll take care of the others." 

I nod my head and jump out before Bling even has time to put it in park. I raced up the stairs and figuring this is not the time for politeness, I burst through the front door. A black woman and a blonde both stare at me in shock but my attention is immediately caught by a man holding another girl up. 

"Logan? Logan Cale?" I demand. 

"Yeah," Logan replies, "And you are?" 

"Jondie," I answer as it suddenly hits me that that's Max he's holding. "Maxie," I whisper and rush forward to my sister. 

"Jondie?" she asks and then faints. 

"What's wrong with her?" I ask frantically. 

"She's been shot, and she's lost a lot of blood. I think she needs a transfusion, but none of us here have the right blood type to give her one." 

"I do." 

For a second Logan looks at me like I'm an angel sent from God and then it's back to business. "The first aid kit is in the bedroom," he says as he gently lifts Max and starts down the hall. He lays her down carefully on the bed and pulls out a long tube with needles on each end and a valve in the middle. 

"That's one hell of a first aid kit," I say staring at the contraption. 

"With Max around, you never know what you might need," he says with a wry smile. "Ready?" he asks holding his hand out for my arm. 

"Yeah," I mumble and extend my arm. 

He wipes a spot on my arm with a sterilizing pad and then gently slides the needle in. He wipes Max's arm too and then reaches for the valve. He looks at me again and I nod as he turns the valve. My blood begins to flow from my arm filling the tube and pushing the air out. Logan watches closely and inserts the needle in Max just as my blood reaches the end. 

"Are you a doctor?" I ask. 

"No," he laughs. "I've just had a little bit of practice with this." 

I smile at him and then watch as his gaze travels back to Max. The worry on his face is evident as he reaches forward and gently brushes her hair away from her face. 

"She'll be alright," I say, reaching over and taking his hand. "Max is my big sister and my best friend. I'm not letting her go. Not when I've just found her." 

**Point of View: JACE************************************** **

I remove my hand from the guys mouth and he whispers nervously. 

"I dunna have any idea..." I grab him by the collar and look at him, "but I have da number of her mates...dis is it" 

I took a look at the cell number of a girl called Original Cindy, and memerised it. 

"Okay then..." I turn, about to run back toward the phone booths but stop, and look back. "Thanks..." 

I take off, not caring whether the guy went and called his friends for help. I run back down, and pick up the phone. I dial, and finally, it rings..... 

**Point of View: LOGAN********************************* **

I can't believe I had a critically ill woman in my arms, and all I could think about doing was kissing her. 

But she looked like she wanted me to... 

Forget that. Next time I'll remind myself that I'm not Prince Charming, and my kiss isn't going to save Sleeping Beauty. 

Blood will. Jondie's blood is flowing into her arm. Max's hair falls across her eyes, and I brush it away. She's going to open her eyes soon, she has to. 

"She'll be all right," Jondie says, reaching over and taking my hand. "Max is my big sister and my best friend. I'm not letting her go. Not when I've just found her." 

I look at her face then, for the first time, and I see Max there. Not in the bone structure or coloring. Something about the eyes. Something I couldn't find in Zack, or Tinga, or Brinn. 

A certain softness behind the wariness. If not trust, the desire to trust. 

Hope. 

This one's a sister to my Max, and I smile back. 

"Do you know how much blood she needs?" Jondie asks me. 

"No, I can only guess. I think we should stop now, see how she does in the next hour. There's another medical kit, we can always try another transfusion if she needs it." 

Jondie gives my hand a squeeze and lets go. We detach the equipment, roll it away, and sit, watching Max's face. We each hold a hand, through the bandages. I don't suppose anything will happen quickly, although I tell myself her color looks better. 

There's a commotion in the outer room, and a phone is ringing. Jondie was looking at Max with that familiar childlike longing on her face. At the sound of the voices the Manticore shutters came down. 

"I'll see what's going on. Stay with her," she tells me, and is gone in one quick move. 

She's back in a second. "Your friend...Bling?...and that woman, brought in Tinga and Brinn. He's going to try to patch them up, but he's not going to be able to control them if they decide to be disagreeable. How much do he, and the two women who were here, know about us?" 

I can't hold back a sigh. "The blonde is Kendra, the brunette is Original Cindy. What woman came in with Bling?" 

Jondie gives me a quick description. 

"Lacey. I thought she...never mind. Kendra and Cindy know more than they should. Enough so that telling them everything won't make a difference. Lacey, I don't know. She's the last person who should know anything, but we were stuck with her. With what was going on in Seattle...." 

"Forced tactical exposure. I understand. Fine. I'm going out there to handle Tinga and Brinn while they patch them up. You stay here and take care of Max." 

For an instant that sweet expression crosses her face again, then she whirls and disappears back into the living room, closing the door behind her. 

Max's color is definitely improving, and her breathing is deeper. This time I'm sure. Holding her hand, watching her face, focusing on her breathing for long minutes, the events of the day finally get to me and I fall asleep. 

I don't know how much later it is when I awake at the feel of a hand squeezing mine. 

Point of View: MAX**************************************** 

I can feel my body again. It's sore, but not like before. Now it's a mending sort of pain. A good pain, if there is such a thing. I know I'm not going to get any more sleep. 

Logan's head is resting on the bed, near my hand. He looks so sweet asleep. So peaceful. I almost hate to wake him, but I can't help giving his hand a squeeze to let him know I'm awake, even if he doesn't wake up. 

But his wonderful eyes are suddenly open and he looks up at me at the slightest squeeze. "Max," he says, his voice still thick with sleep. He sits up straight in his chair, but still holds onto my hand. "How are you feeling?" 

"Better." Damn, his hair is messy from sleeping and I just want to run my hands through it. Keep yourself focused, Maxie. "So, how long have I been out?" 

He looks at his watch. "About four hours since Jondie gave you the transfusion." 

"Jondie?" Then I remember. The bang. Stumbling to the front room. Logan catching me. The brunette girl. "How did Jondie get here?" 

"Zack. He brought her here when they couldn't find us in Seattle. They met up with Brinn and Tinga, and well . . ." 

"Where's Jondie?" I try to sit up, but Logan gently puts a hand on my shoulder, holding me down. 

"Shh, don't try to move. You may be genetically enhanced, but I don't want to risk you opening some almost healed wound." His hand moves to my face, brushing hair off of my cheek. He's looking down at me with some strong emotion in his eyes. 

"Max," his voice comes out chocked with emotion, "If Jondie hadn't come, I don't know . . . you were pretty bad." He's looking at me with the same eyes he had when I was seizing the first time at his place, when he was holding me in his arms after I fell . . . 

"Logan," I start. But I can't get any further than his name. His head starts tilting down towards mine. Our faces are inches apart and I can feel his warm breath on my cheek. "Logan." 

And then his lips are on mine. Sweet and gentle. It's like the car, but this time there is no going back. He's showing me exactly what he feels and I'm responding as I wrap my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. 

When it ends we're both staring at each other in shock. 

"Logan."   
He puts a finger to my lips. "No. I'm not letting you try that again. You can't tell me that you were just 'emotional'. You can't tell me that you don't . . ." 

"Logan," I say, taking his hand away from my mouth, "I think this is more of a moment of weakness." 

"Max . . ." 

This time it's me who initiates the kiss. It starts slow, like the one before, but this one deepens, releasing a lot of held back emotions. 

When we break, Logan reaches out and caresses my cheek. "So whose dream is this?" he jokes lightly. 

"It's not a dream," I say softly. 

Some one clears their throat. I look up and see Zack standing in the doorway, obviously not pleased. 

"You're awake." He nods at Logan. "Your first aid kits have been wiped out by Tinga and Brinn. I'm going for more supplies." And then he's gone. 

   [1]: http://www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages



	20. Jace

Point of View: LYDECKER************************************************** 

_Author's note: Please visit us at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages_ Point of View: LYDECKER************************************************** 

Once upon a time I got kidnapped by two of my kids. It ended well, I suppose, since I got one of them back. But, I was completely helpless there for a time. That's not something I like to feel, ever. A mistake is acceptable as long as you learn from it. I am starting to think my kids slept through that class I gave. Oh well, they'll learn. 

I started to carry around a tracking device within my boot. It's rather ingenious. You pull away at the lining with your toe, and then press the button. There's a wire along the sole, buried within the rubber to keep it safe. It starts emitting an emergency beacon to base command. 

I have to wait until I know for certain where we are going. It looks like a rather rustic little cabin. It tugs on my memory somehow, but I'm not sure why. I don't think I've been there before, but the last several hours are quite hazy. It's irrelevant at any rate. I send the signal. My men will be here within a matter of hours at the latest. They'll keep track, and soon all of my kids here will be coming home. 

And Tread wants to torture me. Not much I can do to stop it. Kids, kids, kids. I taught you, remember? I know how to do what I taught. I'll simply make myself forget. It's not terribly difficult, and does no real harm to me. Within Manticore, there is a key object. We all have one in case we have to forget. This object unlocks out memories. Mine is one that wouldn't be guessed, and even if it was, none of them would have a copy of it. It's the one thing I can't forget. 

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY******************************************** **

  
Hehehe! I am good. I am so good. 'Just friends' my a**. 'Not my boyfriend' Screw that. I've been saying it. I've been saying it for like 6 freakin' months. So I want to see Max try and talk her way out of this one. Like I am not going to jump to conclusions after peeking in to check on Max and seeing her and Moneybags practically getting busy.   
The only person I feel bad for is the blonde dude. Sam, Zack, George W. Bush, whatever his name is, the brother guy. He certainly looked a slight bit pissed when he stormed out of here. Original Cindy is an expert on the male race, but that is one dude I just can't read.   
So after Max's brother stormed out of here in a huff, Max stared after him, looking all sad and pathetic, and Logan looking at her all sad and pathetic, which is overall just sad and pathetic, I felt bad for the two and left them alone.   
Max did not need to hear Original Cindy's victory speech.

**Point of View: KENDRA************************************************** **

When we hear the bang, we all run to the window to see what happened. Then I hear OC telling Max to get back in bed, but she wants to know what happened. Logan and Max just kind of stare at each other. They are so cute! Then someone barges in the door and asks for Logan. She introduces her self as Jondie and then rushes to Max's side just as she passes out. Logan and Jondie take Max into the bedroom to give her a blood transfusion. I hear Jondie reassuring him that she will be okay. 

Bling enters the cabin with Tinga and Brinn. Dam it, I really didn't want to see them here again. And then what's worse is Jondie comes in telling us to patch them up. Let me think, NO!! I try to disagree with her, but when Brin goes to attack she stops it. And all I can think is, ... great another one. I figure I should probably cooperate. This is not what I expected when I said I would come along and help. Somebody better fill me in on what's going on soon. OC picks up the med kit and starts to work on Brinn, I grab a few supplies out of it to start patching Tinga up, Bling comes over to help me. 

Jondie is looking over our shoulders the whole time. I don't know why she isn't helping. She's actually making me a bit uncomfortable. I look over at OC and she does not look happy about this either. But just when I'm about to complain, more people come in. Great who the hell are they. Bling seems to know who they are, so I just keep my mouth shut. 

And look there is Lacey. I let Bling continue patching up Tinga and I head over to her.   
"Lacey, I know you took those papers. Where are they??"   
"I have no clue what you are talking about."   
"Yes you do. Your little friend told me about how you snuck out with them."   
She gives me a blank look.   
"Dam it Lacey, Max said those papers are important now hand them over." 

Hearing Max's name, the blond guy walks over to us. He gets lacey to hand over the papers and then gives them to me. He then goes and checks on Max. He only gone a few seconds then he storms back out. I can't help but wonder what that was all about. He didn't look to happy. I walk into the bedroom and Logan is sitting there staring at Max. Hmmmm nothing unusual is going on in here. 

"Logan here are the papers Lacey took. Blondie got her to give them back." 

Logan gives me a weird look and then takes the papers from me. I head back into the living area to see if there is anything else someone wants me to do.

**Point of View: JACE************************************************** **

Dammit! 

Great, no only Max and Logan are out-of-reach, so are their mates. 

I better make a move, I don't want to be walking around in broad day-light for all to see. 

Thanks Max. No only am I stuck her without a contact number, 'lil Max is crying her eyes out. There should be place nearby, where I can get some food. Shhh baby. 

It seems all the doorways down this street are taken. I am not taking my kid down there. Surely there is some way to find Logan...last time I was here he was at that medical center...maybe he left records...it's worth a shot... 

I work up into a sprint and take off down an alleyway leading to the surgery. These back streets are difficult to navigate, but I am sure I'm going around the right way. Turn...left...right, this is it. 

It is really dirty in here, and the filing cabinet looks like it has been broken into. Damn, Max has taken his file...a smart move I guess...so Lydecker doesn't track him down. 

Okay baby, we will settle down here for a while...then call that number again. 

**Point of View: LOGAN************************************************** **

"Where's Jondie?" Max tries to sit up. I put a hand on her shoulder, holding her down. It shows she's still ill, the way she forgets I couldn't hold her down with a boulder if she really wanted to move. 

"Shh, don't try to move. You may be genetically enhanced, but I don't want to risk you opening some almost healed wound." Her hair is in her face again and I can't stop myself from brushing it off. Maybe I'm exhausted, maybe I'm just tired of pretending to be her business partner. 

"Max," I'm not even trying to control myself anymore, "If Jondie hadn't come, I don't know . . . you were pretty bad." 

"Logan," she starts. But I don't want to hear whatever she has to say. I almost lost her and I'm taking this moment, now, for myself. 

Before she can finish her sentence, I kiss her, as lightly as I can manage. Until she wraps her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss. 

When it ends we're both staring at each other in shock. 

"Logan." 

I put a finger to her lips. She might make me feel like one, but I'm not a teenage boy. I know what it feels like when someone kisses me back and means it. "No. I'm not letting you try that again. You can't tell me that you were just 'emotional'. You can't tell me that you don't . . ." 

"Logan," she interrupts, before I can get any further, "I think this is more of a moment of weakness." 

"Max . . ." 

This time she initiates the kiss. It starts slowly and grows deeper, expressing the emotions of God knows how long. There's no more pretending. 

When we pull away, I realize I've gained the right to touch her, even if her hair isn't falling in her face. I stroke her cheek, regaining some composure. "So whose dream is this?" I ask, joking. 

"It's not a dream," she says softly. I never thought I'd see that look on her face, at least not directed at me instead of her Ninja. 

It doesn't last. Her eyes are suddenly wary, and she looks towards the door. 

I turn to see my favorite GI Joe holding up the doorframe. "You're awake," Zack announces with his usual brilliance. "Your first aid kits have been wiped out by Tinga and Brinn. I'm going for more supplies." And then he's gone. 

Max looks after him, close to tears, all the softness of the moment before wiped out. 

Zack sure knows how to kill a moment. 

Before I can figure out what to say, Kendra walks in and drops the rest of the Manticore papers in my lap. I can't believe she just took them back from Lacey, the demon reporter who's scared off more officials, criminals, and rabid dogs than I can count. I'm rapidly rethinking my opinion of Kendra as a Barbie doll on herbal gummies. Before I can say anything else she goes back out and shuts the door. 

I'm liking her more every minute. 

I turn back to Max, who's looking like her puppy just died. I drop those vitally important papers to the floor again. I can't put her through this. I can't make her choose between us like this. I know how she felt about me a minute ago, how she'll feel again in the future. I hope. But I can't push her right now. 

"Max, this is the last thing I want to say right now, but I can understand if you're confused." 

If anything, she looks more confused by my statement. 

"I mean, you've barely seen Zack all these years...and," I'm stumbling for something to say, "Well, we both know he doesn't see you as his sister..." 

Can she tell how much it's killing me to say this? At least she's looking a bit less sad. Almost...irritated? That couldn't be, so I press on. 

"It's obvious that we--Zack and I--don't see eye to eye on what's right for you. Or more selfishly, what we want for you...from you. And it's OK if you're confused about you want..." 

Max nods slowly, comprehension dawning in her face. 

"I know you're feeling better, but you should stay in this bed for as long as you can, at least another twelve hours. I'll...go out and help, so Kendra or Cindy can come keep you company." 

Her eyes take on an evil glint, one I've seen in the past. Usually right before she tells me off. So why do I suddenly feel so much better? 

"Zack is confused," she tells me . "I'm not. Eventually, he and I are going to have to deal with that. In the meantime, I've worked too [d@mn][1] hard to have a life of my own, to let him come along and rearrange things to suit himself." 

"Meaning?" I ask, my heart racing. 

"If you want me to stay in this room, you're going to have to make me." 

I laugh out loud for an instant before she kisses me again. 

**Point of View: ZACK************************************************** **

  
You know, there has never been a time in my life that I have more wished that Manticore had just stayed a little fantasy in Lydecker's screwy little head. I mean, really, I could be at a barbeque with a normal family, then going out on a date with my normal girlfriend. But nooooooo....I am in the car of Eyes-Only, guerilla cyber journalist driving out to get medical supplies for my fellow killing machines while the woman I love, who in a way is my sister (like that changes anything for me), is seriously injured, but the man I hate is busy hitting on her and playing tonsil hockey when she should be resting. 

Thanks Dad!   
  
And on top of everything else, there are a couple thousand people running around Seattle think that they are me. Goody. That is all we need. More tactical exposure. 

So now that Max is back at Cale's cabin, doing god's knows what with him, she is definitely never going to leave his side, which is going to get her killed. She barely left him behind when they were only friends, and she'd ran back to him in a second anyway. So now that they were sucking face, how am I supposed to get Max to leave everything behind? And how am I supposed to tell her I love her?

**Point of View: SKETCHY************************************************** **

  
Well, Now that I've checked in on Natalie, my baby, and I know she's alright, I'd better kick my @$$ into gear and get to jam pony, and see what's up over there. 

I walk in the door, my tricked out bike by my side. I see Herbal in a heap over against a wall. I drop my bike and run over to him. and of course I ask him what happened, like any good friend would do. Well, he's out cold. Kinda weird for someone as buff as Herbal. Something bad must've happened here. 

Well, while I'm waiting for Herbal to snap out of it, I lean up against the wall, and start to thinking. Where the hell are Max.. and Original Cindy.. they've just about disappeared.. and with all this herbal gummy stuff going around, something bad could be up.. or maybe OC turned Max to her lesbian ways.. 

After I finished dreaming about Max and Original Cindy, I noticed that Herbal was still out cold, so I just leaned back and decided to take a nice little nap. 

**Point of View: NORMAL************************************************** **

I walk in to work and I see Herbal laying on the floor sleeping and Sketchy on the table, ... I think to myself, "why does everyone have to be such slackers??" Figuring I need to get there attention and get things moving, I yell "Wake up you slackers and get to work, bip, bip, bip." Like usual Sketchy just rolls his eyes. Herbal isn't even moving, he's probably stoned again. I go to my desk and pick up the packages that came in the night before. 

"I have a package that needs to go to Fogle Towers. Sketchy here you go."   
"But something is wrong with Herbal, he's been out like that for hours."   
I throw the package in his face and say "Get movin!! Bip, Bip, Bip."   
He takes the package from me and goes over to Herbal.   
I wonder where everyone is, ... Max, Original Cindy, ... who else is missing.   
I don't have time for this now. I've got a business to run.   
"Get movin Sketchy!!"   
"I can't wake up Herbal, I'm telling you something is wrong with him." 

   [1]: mailto:d@mn



	21. Amnesia

Author's note: Please visit us at www

_ _ _Author's note: Please visit us at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages_

** **

**Point of View: SKETCHY************************************************** **

"Fine Normal, I'm going I'm going!"   
After mumbling under my breath about what I thought he should do with those bip bip bips I headed out the door, with my bike by my side, hopping on it as I left the building 

Great, Fogle towers. About 2 miles from here and its mostly uphill. And to top it off, Herbal is out cold, Max is just GONE, and so is Original Cindy! What is up with this? 

After about 20 minutes of uphill riding. and getting lost, I find the towers.. and damn, they are nice! Almost worth the b!tch of a ride that it took to get here... but since I don't live here I quickly reminded myself that it wasn't worth it. 

I get to the door, and this package was moderately heavy for being so small, and of course it's for the top floor, which would be typical for Normal to assign me.. damn I'm getting sick of him! bip bip bip.. I think he can take that bip bip bip, shine it up real nice.. turn it side ways and.. well, a man in a wheelchair answered the door, and he signed for the package. Logan Cale. Very neat and legible handwriting I might add, considering the penthouse looked just about trashed to hell. kind of odd for the place to be so trashy for being so nice looking on the outside.. weird 

He immediately closes the door, kind of rude about it I might add, but what do you expect from these penthouse dwelling types? I get back on my bike, and coast downhill back to jam pony, where Herbal is still out cold, no one is back, and Normal is bipping his @ss off! 

**Point of View: JACE************************************************** **

Lil Max is so peaceful when she sleeps. I really want Max to see what a beautiful kid she is. Her cheeks are so soft, I guess it is the little things that a mum notices. 

Okay, it's time to move. 

Damn, I'm stiff. Looking out the boarded-up window, it is pretty busy outside. I better get lost in the crowd. 

Out of stealth mode Jace...it's time to...fit in. At least lil' Max is not crying her eyes out. Down and out of this alley, back at these damn phone booths. 

This Original Cindy person better be there...what the hell? That guy I knocked out is comin' down the street, I don't want to have to fend off a crowd, I better go... 

Damn lil' Max, not now! He's seen me, it's time to run...sh*t... 

**Point of View: DET SUNG************************************************** **

This is crazy. 

I have to get these kids off the streets, and contact Logan, wherever he is. 

I watch from my car as a young girl runs past my door yelling 'let's move, Lydecker isn't far!" 

This, drug, seems to of affected everybody, not just these kids, but adults... 

I see a couple of men, in their late 30's about to tear each other apart. 

"Back up, section 5, two adult males" 

I get out of the car and run over to the fight scene. 

"LYDECKER SCUM!" One guy screamed at the other and ripped his coat. 

"GET OFF IT SOLDIER!" The other said, and was about to knock him out when I grabbed him. 

I cuff one of them quickly and duck as the other one tries to drag me away so he can finish the job. 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! GET BACK SOLIDER!" 

"Look, calm down! Or I will arrest you!" I yell at the uncuffed guy. 

I pull my cuffed guy away as my backup arrive to deal with the rowdy 'Zack' as he now was yelling at me. 

I pull the male into the back of a squad car and knock him out for good measure. 

"Damn this!" 

I flip open my cell phone and call Logan on his phone. 

"I hope he has anymore information on this..." I mutter. 

**Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY******************************************** **

Kendra and I were digging around the kitchen trying to find something to feed all the hungry killing machines that were wandering around. "You know what," Kendra said as she opened yet another empty cupboard. "We should have told Max's brother to pick up some food. There is nothing here."   
"LOGAN!" I shout, annoyed. "You'd think with all your money you'd keep this place stocked up!"   
Kendra and I smiled when they heard Max and Logan's muffled laughter float out of the bedroom. It was a good sound, them being happy. "I'm sorry, Original Cindy" Logan called back sarcastically. "I forgot to use my psychic powers to look into the future and see that we'd have about a dozen people ending up here. My most sincere apologizes."   
I was just about to hit Logan with my sure fire comeback of 'Screw Yourself' when their was an sudden shrilling that made Kendra, the dark haired girl who just got here who was now wondering around the cabin, and me all jump about four inches off the ground.   
It took them a second to realize that they weren't getting bombed, shot at, or attacked, for once. 

It was a phone.   
I looked over and saw Logan's cell phone as the culprit to the intrusion. "Want me to get it, Wheel Boy?"   
"Please."   
I flipped open the cover and hit the talk button. Who cares if it is Logan's phone, and since I now know that he is the elusive Eyes-Only, could be some important person or whatever. No reason for Original Cindy to lose the flavor. 

"Ye-ah" I say, stretching out the word into two syllables.   
"Who is this?" A male voice asked annoyed.   
"Who is *this*?" I ask back equally rude.   
"Where is Logan? Why do you have his cell phone?" The man asked suspiciously.   
"Logan is currently busy." Getting busy with Max that is, I add silently. "Can I ask who this is? Or is that going to violate homeboy's vow to mystery?"   
"What do you mean busy? What have you done with him? Who are you? What do you want?" The man ask frantically.   
"I haven't done anything! And again we flip around? Who is *this*? What do *you* want?"   
Logan rolled into the room a moment later, raising an eyebrow at me, like I am doing something wrong. Bite me, Rollerboy! Not my fault you have a**hole friends. "Yo, Logan." I say holding out the phone in front of me. "Some weird-o is on the phone, wont tell me who it is--" I was cut off rudely as Logan rolled forward and grabbed the phone out of my hand.   
"Hello?" He says. "Oh, hey Matt."   
"Who?" I demand, wondering who is the next guy I can add to the ever-so-growing list of 'Men Original Cindy Hate'   
Logan glances over as he rolls over to his computers. "Matt Sung," He calls back to me. "Contact in the Seattle PD whose helping us with the Herbal Gummy situation."   
Before I can speak, Logan's typing in a rapid fire fashion and talking to the Matt guy again. Maybe it is time I give Max that victory speech, I think as I head towards the room where Max is supposed to be resting. "Oh, that was just Original Cindy." I hear Logan say.   
"JUST? Original Cindy?" I screech at him. "Uh uh, nope. I am not JUST Original Cindy. I am THE Original Sin, I *am* THE Original Cindy!"   
Everyone in the room rolls their eyes at me. 

**Point of View: LYDECKER************************************************** **

I'm locked in a closet of some kind. Why? Things are so clouded right now. I know I'm Don Lydecker. Who are all of these people? I try to remember, but something inside my mind cuts me off. It's almost like there's another Don in my head warning me to leave it alone until he's ready. I can't say no to him. And so I wait. 

Some of them are gone, and I hear a male and a female laughing and talking, and doing other things in another room. There's noises from other rooms, and a cell phone beeps once. I'm hungry. 

I can't do much being tied up like this. Why are they so afraid of me? The big guy, I think his name was Tread was threatening me severely. He wanted to know about Manticore. What? Sounds like something from Greek mythology. Hopefully someone will explain it soon. 

In the distance I start to hear something else. It's a helicopter. Several of them to be exact. The inner Don releases one bit of information. I sent for them. Why? I hope they can tell me.

**Point of View: BRINN************************************************** **

At "The Cabin" there's a blonde wearing a top a leeetle too small for her and a wise a** black woman. Both of them are looking at me like I've got three eyes and a giant tail coming out of my back. 

Zack, or whatever his name is, dumps me on the couch. I immediately try to jump up. The two women are giving me the creeps. However, I fall back down on the couch in a pathetic heap. "Easy, Baby Sister," he says, helping me rearrange myself. "Lie still." 

So Blondie is my brother. Then why is the hair in my face black? Did I dye it? I don't remember. The pretty brunette with the green eyes comes out of the bedroom. "Max is resting," she says to Zack. "How's my little sister?" 

"Brin's going to be okay if she gets some rest," he answers. "Tinga is still, well . . ." 

Who names their kid Tinga? But from what Zackie said, I'm guessing Miss America is my sister. Makes sense. She's got dark hair. Maybe Zack was adopted. I look over at the dark haired woman sitting, no, lying in a chair. She's holding her head and mumbling about Zack. *She's* calling him big brother. 

Oh joy. Lemme guess . . . we're a mixed family. You know, step-, full, and half-siblings. Either that or my parents adopted a lot of kids. 

The bald guy comes back from the bathroom and tries to clean Tinga up. She pushes him away. 

"Let Original Cindy handle this one. You go take care of miss psychotic over there," the black woman says, snatching a cotton pad from his hand. Original Cindy?!? 

Mr. Clean kneels down next to me. I can tell he's a little wary, but there is concern in his eyes. "Brin?" 

"Lemme guess, you're also my brother," I snap. 

"No actually, I'm Logan's friend. Max's friend," he tries when he doesn't see any recognition showing on my face. Who are Max and Logan? Or could it be the same person? Max Logan? 

Mr. Clean shakes his head and starts dabbing at my head with a cotton pad drenched in antiseptic. Damn, that stuff stings. 

Miss America has gone back into the bedroom, but comes out again and confers with Zack. I notice a woman sitting in the corner, regarding us all with a freaked out look on her face. Her eyes dart from me to Tinga and over to Zack and Miss America. 

"I want some answers here," she demands, standing up. "What is going on here? What are Herbal Gummies? Who is Lydecker? And what in the hell kind of family are you all?" 

Good question, I was wondering that myself. 

"Come on, none of you look like each other. I'm supposed to believe you're siblings?" 

"Lacey," Mr. Clean starts. 

"No. We've got a Viking, an Irish lass, a mulatto type," she cries pointing at Zack, Miss America, and Tinga, "and an Asian," she points straight at me. 

WHAT? I'm Asian? 

I jump up and run for a mirror. Sure enough, there's a girl with jet black hair and almond shaped eyes looking back at me. Making the Home Alone face, I slap my hands to my cheeks and gasp. 

Lacey is still demanding to know the truth as Mr. Clean takes her by the shoulders and sits her on the couch, where I had been. "They're adopted," he explains. 

During our little excitement, Zack the Viking had slipped off to the bedroom. He returns with a scowl on his handsome face. "I'm going into town to get supplies." He stalks off. 

What got him so upset? 

I start to pick up a buzzing far off in the distance. Helicopters? 

Zack hasn't been gone one minute before he storms back in the cabin. Looking murderous, he turns to Bling. "Get Cale and tell him to stop sucking face with Max. We've got company. The Black Helicopter type." 

Original Cindy groans and the Blonde stares after Zack with obvious lust as he storms down the hall to a closet. 


End file.
